Is It Fate or Just Bad Timing?
by angelofdarkness2284
Summary: Casey's life it going smoothly she has a good job, a new apartment that will be ready soon and a new fiance but will things be turned upside down when Derek decides that after being gone for 7 years this was the right time to renter her life.
1. Life

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story. I'll tell you if I add any new ones.**

**I know that this chapter has like no conversation but I promise there is plenty coming up I just kinda had to set the scene. I hope you guys like it because it's my first ever Life with Derek Fanfic.**

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Casey stared at the diamond ring on her finger. She looked at how it twinkled in the light from the street lamp outside and then her eyes wondered to the sleeping man beside her. Her boyfriend. Her fiance. Her Sam. That was really the only way to describe him.

She watched as his face crinkled up like he was thinking about something bad. She reached over and softly pushed the stray hair behind his ear and instantly his face turned to one of total and utter contentment. She smiled and rememberd when he told her that just a small touch from her could make everything bad in his life go away.

He really was the sweetest man she had ever known. Not that he was perfect by a long shot but perfection didn't really matter to her anymore. She knew that would be hard for some people to understand but it was true she had learned that life just couldn't always be controlled and therefore you had to hold on to what you had in the moment.

Casey looked around the room that had once been her sanctuary in the McDonald/Venturi house. She had spent so much time in this room mapping out her life and dreaming about how things would magically fall in place.

That girl had sense faded away but then she thought about her life now and she couldn't help but smile.She had a man that loved her.A good job as a junior copy writer and she knew she would get that promotion soon she could just feel it. And her and Sam were finally moving back to London from Toronto.

She had thought that moving back to Toronto after high school and seeing all her old friends, her old hang outs would be this amazing thing that just completed her life somehow like she had come home again or something. She had soon learned that people changed and life went on without her. More importantly she had changed. She wasn't that girl who had left Toronto she was a completely new Casey who honestly would much rather be near her family and her new hang outs.

She had to live in Toronto to finish school and by her junior year of university her and Sam had decided that they would give a relationship another shot and from there they became completely attached. He was studying to be an Architect and so when school ended for her after her four years and she was offered two jobs one in Toronto and one in London. There seemed like there was only one choice. She and Sam found there own place and she gave up going home for a few more years.

But here they were staying in her old house while they waited for their new Apartment to be painted and the new hardwood to be installed. They could have stayed in Toronto for a few more weeks but her Mom and George were having a big 10th anniversary party and she wanted to be there to help anyway she could.

Thoughts of the anniversary of the joining of the McDonalds and Venturis brought thoughts of Derek to her mind. She hadn't seen him in 7 years and she hadn't talked to him at all in 5. She knew he was a big time photographer now that travelled around the world taking pictures of exciting and exotic things.

She wondered every now and then what he was doing at that moment, what he was thinking about, basically she wondered about him. The last time she say him he was giving her the silent treatment for who knows what and the only words she had heard from him in the two years after high school were Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday and they stopped after that. She hated to think that she actually missed him after all the misery he caused her but she had become resigned to admit it was true.

Sam's hand reached out and lay on her stomach and she looked over at him. Sudden feelings of guilt washed through her that she couldn't quite explain but all she knew was that it didn't feel right to think about Derek or any other guy even in the most random sense when her fiance was laying next to her.

Casey pushed all her wandering thoughts aside and turned away from Sam but moved a little closer. She felt him pull her up against him and his arm wrap around her waist as she snuggled in.

"Love you, Case." Came Sams sleepy voice.

"Love you, too." She softly replied

And sleep finally overtook her.

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**Ok this is the part were I beg you to review and to read what is coming next. I promise it will get interesting.**


	2. Home

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story. I'll tell you if I add any new ones.**

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"...and thank you for flying WestJet. I hope you enjoyed your flight and and that you enjoy your stay in London, Ontario. And if this is a final stop for you then welcome home."

Home...yeah he was finally home. Derek Venturi watched as the other passengers scrambled to get there bags and exit the plane. He just sat contently in his seat with his camera bag and laptop in tow and waited for the craziness to subside. It was nice to get a few more minutes before he had to face the fact that he was really here. If he just stayed on the plane maybe they wouldn't notice him and he could leave here again but he knew logically that could never happen. He wasn't even really sure that was what he wanted just that he felt better knowing that he wasn't quite stepping on the polished floor of the airport.

He let out a sigh as the last passenger left and the flight attendent made her way over to him and leaned in with a smile.

"Is there anything I can help you with, Sir?" She reached out and touched his arm and her smile grew a little.

He easily returned her smile with a smirk of his own. "Thanks anyway but I was just avoiding the rush." He stood and she moved out of his way as he moved out into the isle.

"Oh well it's no trouble at all." She looked over at the other flight attendents that all seemed busy with other things and then smiled back at him and handed him a card. "Just in case you wanna see the sights." With one last flirtatous smile she walked away to check some seats.

She really was a beautiful woman. Tall, blond with legs that went on for days, definitely the kinda girl that knew what she was doing. He looked at the card and smiled at the name Cindy with the little heart above the i and the local phone number delicately written. He shooved the card in his jacket pocket for later and moved off the plane.

At least things seemed to be looking up.

The trip to baggage claim seemed to take forever and finding a taxi that wasn't already busy at 1 in the morning was a hassle but finally he was sitting in front of his childhood home. He grabbed his things and payed the driver and then just stood there for a minute on the lawn absorbing it all in.

He was home...he had successfully avoided this place for 7 years and now here he stood on the front lawn and he didn't know weather he should go in or turn around and see if the cabby was still there. He wasn't even sure exactly why he was so opposed to being here but something had kept him away all this time he just wan't sure what.

As he made his way to the front door he dug in his pocket for the key that he had found two days before. He wasn't even sure if it would work at all. They may have changed the locks sense he left but sure enough when he slide the key in the lock it turned just fine and the door opened into a darkened house.

It being just passed 1:30 in the morning he understood that and was kinda glad the key worked and he didn't have to knock sense no one knew he was coming.

Derek shrugged out of his jacket and hung it on the last available hook and headed right for the kitchen. He hadn't even realized how hungry he was until he saw the fridge before and it called to him.

Suddenly the light filtered the room just as he was about to open the fridge door. He turned around slightly startled to see a very surprised look on his fathers sleepy face.

The look was quickly replaced by a wide smile.

"Derek." His father stepped forward and hugged him swiftly and then just leaned back and looked at him for a minute and then moved over to the cupboard for a glass.

"Your pretty much the last person I expected to see about to raid my fridge at 1:30 at night. When did you get in? Why didn't you call someone would have come pick you up?" George Venturi just couldn't stop smiling as he looked at his oldest son. He was home and that just felt so right.

"I just got in and didn't wanna bug anyone to come out so late." Derek opened the fridge and dug around finding a pizza box and taking it out. Flipping up the lid he grinned and helped himself to a slize of cold pizza.

"At least use a napkin." George handed one over.

"Thanks." Derek replied with his mouth full.

"Some things never change and as much as I would like to watch you finish the whole pizza I'm sure I have to get Nora down some water and get to bed. Busy day tomorrow." He filled his glass with water and then grinned one more time at Derek before going back downstairs.

Just as Derek sat on the stool and bite into his second slice he heard a crash and a loud squeal. He grinned and moved into the living room seen a figure trying to pull themselves up. He looked down at his luggage the obvious reason for this whole thing.

He lay down his pizza and helped her up. Just as he was about to let go he looked directly into the face of Casey McDonald. Her hair was mussed and over her face and her pjs were rumbled but she was still her. He hadn't layed eyes on her in 7 years. The last thing he had seen her in was a cap and gown, he hadn't even stayed long enough to see her at the party afterward and now they were looking into each others eyes and he just smirked. "Klutzilla strikes again." He said meaning it to be sarcastic but it came out kinda soft.

Once the obvious shock wore off her face it was replaced by anger. She too looked down and saw the luggage that she had tripped up in and then turned back to glare at him.

"Der-ek, I could have killed myself tripping out your stupid luggage. Why exactly is it laying in the middle of the floor?" She ranted.

Derek put a little distance between then and then smirked at her. "No how are you. No w I missed you so much." Derek lay his hand over his heart melodramatically. "I'm hurt Casey. Truly hurt."

She seemed a little guilty for half a second and then she glared at him again. "Whatever. What are you doing here anyway?" She made her way to the kitchen grabbed a glass and poured herself a glass of water and sipped it as she waited for the answer.

Derek grabbed his pizza and followed suit. "Just thought it was about time." He watched her pick off a piece of pepporoni from the pizza still in the box and then close it and put it away.

"Oh." Was really all she could think to say to that. She downed her water and dumped the glass. "Well then I guess I'll see you in the morning." With that she headed for the stairs.

He watched her go. She really could be gracefully when she wasn't falling over things.

Just then she turned and smiled at him. "And Derek don't leave your things laying around." Then she was gone.

Same old Casey and yet it didn't feel the same.

Derek plopped down on the couch and pulled the blanket from the back to cover him as he flicked on the tv. Maybe home wouldn't be so bad was his last thought as he drifted off.

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**Hope you like it so far and that you review and give me some feedback so I can continue and make it great.  
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	3. Family Reunion

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story. I'll tell you if I add any new ones.**

**This chapter is a bit longer but I wanted to get everyone in. Hope you enjoy.**

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The constant beeping of the alarm woke Casey at 7:00 the next morning. She stretched and switched it off. She looked at Sam who's face was now hidden under his pillow to prevent the noise from fully waking him.

Truthfully she would like nothing better then to just cuddle back down and fall into a deep sleep. She hadn't really been sleeping well lately and with Derek's sudden appearance last night it just seemed so much worse. She wasn't even sure she had gotten her brain to turn off for her to get even 3 hours.

He was the last person she expected to run into when she went for her glass of water the night before. He looked pretty much the same as she remembered him. Well that wasn't really true was it, there was just something about him, something in his eyes that told her this may look like Derek and act like Derek but it wasn't quite the same boy who tortured her all through high school.

When he helped her up and looked into her eyes there was this moment that she didn't think she would breathe again.

No that's silly right. She just got the wind knocked out of her. She could over think things far to much.

With that she got out of bed and grabbed her things for the shower and make quick work of heading to the bathroom before the whole house bet her there.

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Sam woke up soon after Casey left and stretched out on her bed. It really wasn't the kinda bed he was used to. From the time he was 13 on he had at least a double bed and Casey and him had a queen. Now he was in a twin bed, in Casey's old room, under George and Nora's roof. But as long at Casey was there a small bed wasn't so bad.

He sat up and stretched knowing Casey would be in the shower by then. He grabbed a shirt and threw it on with his pajama pants and headed downstairs for coffee. If Casey insisted they get up this early caffeine was a must.

The house was still quite as it was summer and everyone was glad to sleep in. If only Casey thought the same thing. He moved down the stairs and saw someone sleeping on the couch figuring Edwin must have fell asleep watching tv again. Just as he finished starting the coffee he heard a noise behind him. Casey must be finished with the shower. But when he turned he saw a sleepy Derek rubbing his eyes and yawning.

What was Derek doing here? He hadn't even heard from him since...when was that right before him and Casey got back together. Derek would send him emails every once in a while after high school ended but they continued to get shorter and shorter until they were reduced to "Hey Sam. How's life treating you? I'm good. Talk to you later." Then they just stopped.

Derek yawn and curse whoever woke him so early in the morning. He looked up expecting to see one of the kids or Nora running around but instead he looked right at Sam.

"What...? What are you...? This isn't...? What are you doing in my kitchen at..." He looked at the clock and curse the early rise. "...7:15 in the morning?" This was one he really couldn't figure out.

Sam smiled at his obvious confusion and poured out three cups of coffee. Handing one over to Derek knowing he liked it black. Then adding cream and sugar to his own before he sat down on the kitchen stool. Gesturing Derek to take the one opposite him.

"Well right now I'm getting some much needed caffeine in my system. But I'm guessing you mean in general in which cause my answer would be my new apartment isn't ready yet and so here I am." Sam took a large sip of his coffee and thanked the coffee maker for being so fast and efficient.

Derek looked at Sam strangely and then took a sip of the hot coffee and smiled as it went down. He really did need this. "So the rents just let you crash. Are you in my old room because I know I didn't see you on the couch last night."

Sam smiled. "No I'm staying in C..." Just then Casey entered the kitchen with a big smile on her face and everything else was lost to him. He was a really lucky guy and he knew it. She returned his smile and he looked at Derek who had turned to see what had caught his attention.

Derek had seen Casey the night before but the woman that stood before him freshly showered and dressed casually in a light skirt and t-shirt didn't seem like the same person. This woman took his breathe away.

Casey saw Derek's intense gaze and it ran though her causing her breathe to catch for just a minute when she caught Sam's eye again. Sam her loving fianc? who thought the world of her. She took the cup he offered and sipped it, finding he had gotten the sugar just right.

"Morning. What are you two chatting about?" She smiled and looked at them both.

"Umm..." Derek shook the earlier thoughts from his head and smiled. "Just chatting about why Sam was in the kitchen this early in a house that's not his and where he slept last night."

Casey almost spit out her coffee at that and turned so no one would notice to take a few cookies from the jar. Her and Sam had been sleeping in the same bed for 3 years now and her mom and George didn't mind it and yet for some reason telling Derek that she was sleeping with Sam under there parents roof seemed wrong.

However Sam didn't seem to have a problem just blurting it out. "I slept in Casey's bed with her." He grinned and grabbed one of the cookies from her hand and took a big bite.  
Now it was Derek's turn to be shocked. He luckily wasn't drinking coffee at that moment or it would have been all over Sammy's t-shirt.

"You what...you guys are...in this house you mean?" This was definitely one shock he wasn't expecting. Not that he didn't think that Casey would have a boyfriend or Sam a girlfriend but he didn't expect them to be together after all this time and he certainly didn't expect Sammy to be sleeping in her bed. She was an adult but this was their parents house and...this is weird.

Sam smiled at Derek's obvious confusion and pulled Casey onto his knee as she ate her cookie. She seemed mildly surprised but quickly settled in to lean on the counter and pick her cookie apart.

"Yeah we've been together for a while and like I said George and Nora have been nice enough to let use stay until our place is ready." He finished his cookie in one bite and wrapped his arm around Casey's waist so she wouldn't fall.

To say he was shocked was an understatement at this point. Seeing Sam so comfortable with Casey, taking her in his arms and talking about their apartment. It was like he had stepped out of reality for a minute. But what did he expect that he would come back after 7 years and everything would be the same. He knew it wasn't logical but he had thought that.

Derek got up and downed the rest of his coffee. "Oh...well I have some things to do. See you two later." He placed his mug in the sink and headed for the shower.

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When Casey was finished with her cookie it was pretty much crumbles. She had picked it apart and picked it apart until she was left with a mess basically. She felt Sam's arm tighten a little around her as he kissed the side of her head.

"Where did you go on me, Case? Off in your thoughts again." He grinned at her as she turned her head to look at him. "Hope they were thoughts of me." He childed.

She didn't really know what she had been thinking about it was like her body was here but her mind was off somewhere else. She shook her self of these thoughts and leaned in a kissed him softly. "Don't you know your all I think about." She smiled softly at him.

He returned her smile ten fold and pulled her closer. "That's definitely good to know." He kissed her lips softly and then her cheek, her eye and moved down to her neck. Just as he was about to go in for the lips again he was interrupted by a person loudly clearing their throat.

They both looked over to see Edwin and Lizzie standing in the entrance of the kitchen.

"We eat in here you know? And there are enough stools to go around." Edwin shot at them.

This little comment earned him a jab from Lizzie.

"Hey...watch it." Edwin wined.

"Well behave yourself and I won't have to hurt you." Lizzie smiled and took a seat opposite the couple. "Sorry about lame brain. He's just mad because he knows he can't get any even with drunk co-ed's running around campus." She grinned at him and watched his face turn from one of surprise to outrage.

"Hey I resent that." He poured himself some juice and sat next to her.

"If the shoe fits." Lizzie got up and grabbed some cereal and a bowl.

Casey smiled at their easy banter. As she move off Sam's lap and onto the next stool grabbing a bowl and the cereal from Lizzie.

"Anyway...are you guys helping with the decorations today?" She asked the two before her.

They both nodded and continued to eat as Nora entered the room.

"This is what I like to see. Everyone under one roof. Now if Marti was awake and..." She looked into the living room and found it empty. "I thought George said that Derek was home?"

"Derek's home?" Edwin and Lizzie said together as they looked up at Nora.

"Yeah apparently he got in late last night and by the luggage in the living room I say he's staying for a while." She smiled and went to get some coffee.

"Derek was just here...he went to get a shower." Casey replied to all those interested party's.

"Smerek's home?" A fifteen year old Marti came into the kitchen when a wide grin on her face.

Before anyone could answer however a freshly showered and shaven Derek came up behind her and tickled her as she almost fell over in a fit of laughs. "You bet Smarti." He smiled.

She turned to look at him and gave him a hug then when she leaned back he got a good look at his baby sister. She was definitely not the girl he had left behind. She had grown into a young woman in his absense. Her hair was long and half way down her back and she was almost as tall as him. She wasn't a little girl anymore and yet the excitement in her eyes over seeing him made him think of the younger Marti. The one that he had said goodbye to 7 years ago.

A sudden wave of quilt came over him as he thought about all that he had missed in her life. All he had missed in all their lives. He smiled at her and pulled her in again for a one armed hug.

As she cuddled into him he looked up to see grown versions of Edwin and Lizze sitting before him. They had been 14 when he left London and just starting to mature into who they were gonna be. Now they were adults.

Lizzie had her now blond hair to her shoulders in a cute little pixie cut and she wore her pink pjs.

Edwin was still himself and yet he had matured in face and body with hair that was just a little too long and morning stubble.

Derek grinned at the two. "So what's on the plate for today?"

George entered the now very crowded kitchen to find everyone he loved in one place. He smiled. "We are all going to the hall to set up the rest of the decorations for the anniversary party. Your welcome to come."

"I have a few things I have to do first but then I'm all yours." Derek smiled at his family. He really had missed him and then his eyes landed on Sam who's arm was around Casey's shoulder and his back stiffened. He felt Marti look up at him and he just smiled back in response.

Everyone finished there breakfast without anymore shocked announcements and went about getting ready for the day.

Casey being the only other person showered was the last to leave. She moved by him and he could smell the shampoo she used. It was like strawberries. He closed his eyes for a minute and then she was gone. He breathed in and swallowed. No woman should be allowed to smell that good.

With that thought he grabbed his jacket and head out to do his last minute shopping.

Casey watched him go from the top of the stairs and smiled softly. I really was nice to have Derek home. She moved the rest of the way up and waited for everyone to finish getting ready before they headed out.

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**Hope you enjoyed. More to come. **

**  
Review so I know what you think and if anyone has any suggestions I'll be glad to take them.  
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	4. Lopsided banners

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story. I'll tell you if I add any new ones.**

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Derek hated malls. It was something that he had learned a long time ago but yet the feeling didn't get any better over time. He had avoided them for a long time preferring to get what he needed online or at small stores. Yet in spite of this he still spent most of his morning pushing his way though people who were wandering and waited in lines that seemed to take hours. But finally he made his way out found the car that he had rented before he went to the mall. He stored the gift that he had bought his Dad and Nora in the trunk. He looked at it before he closed the lid and wondered again if he should have let the cute brunette talk him into it. At least he wasn't staying around for long to have to endure it. He smiled at that thought and then closed the lid.

Derek left the mall parking lot and headed toward the hall. Looking at the directions that his dad had given him before he left to shower that morning he turned left and then pulled into an empty parking lot recognizing the other three cars from the driveway.

Derek parked and made his way toward the entrance when he spotted Sam on the side of the building. As he got closer he saw that Sam's eyes were closed and he was just finishing a cigarette. That was definitely something he hadn't expected to see of he oldest friend.

"Is the family that stressful?" Derek smirked.

Sam's eyes popped open as he turned towards Derek with a somewhat guilty look on this face. "It started out as a way to relieve some of the stress at school and then kinda got away from me. Casey hates it but I really am trying to quit. She gave me until we move into the new place because she says she didn't want the smell of my clothes to cause the place to smell."

Derek nodded. That certainly sounded like Casey although that she was going out with a smoker in the first place didn't seem like her even if it was Sam. "So what made you decide to move back to London after all these years?"

"The only real answer for that is Casey. She has wanted to move back since pretty much right after she left. But she stayed in Toronto for me to finish up school."

"So you guys have been together for a long time?"

"It'll be 4 years in October."

"Wow." That was a long time. He hadn't been with a woman for more then 6 months and they had been together for years. "So it's really serious obviously with you guys moving in together and all?"

"Yeah it's serious. We've been living together for the last 3 years and well we haven't told everyone this but it's you so..." Sam looked around as though he was gonna get caught blurting it out.

Before he could continue however Casey came sauntering around the corner. "I was worried you had run away or something. What are you guys doing out here?" She turned to Derek with a disapproving look. "Don't tell me you smoke now too?"

"Nah, that stuff will damage the skin. Can't have that?" He smiled at her.

Before Casey could think of a response Sam laid his arm over her shoulder. "We were just about to head in and finish helping with the decorations. Right, Derek?"

"Right."

Casey looked from one man to the other and then shrugged. "Well luckily we left the heavy musical equipment for you strong men."

"Hey what about Ed and Dad?" Derek half wined, half teased.

"Well your dad hurt his back last year and now he can't really lift anything heavy and Edwin is off getting lunch for everyone."

Sam smiled over at Derek. "Well your just in luck then Case because me and Derek are just the strong men you are looking for. What do you say Derek should we give her a hand." He looked at Derek and turned his eyes to the pool that was half covered just down from them.

"Sure Sam I'd be happy to." He smiled back. With that they both leaned in and picked up Casey between them and started walking.

Casey was laughing at first. "You guys what are you up to?" She noticed that they missed the entrance and then she looked ahead to see there intended destination and began to squirm. "Don't you dare. Put me down now. I swear I will kill you both in your sleep." But they both went on. Just as they got to the edge they lifted her up higher.

"Any last words Space Case." Derek asked.

Then it hit her. She turned her body enough to see Sam's face and smiled down at him evilly. "Sam honey if you put me in that pool your not gonna know anyone's touch but your own for a long, long time. Remember two Christmas' ago." She could see him thinking it over and then he pulled her out of Derek's reach and set her down on the ground.

He looked down sheepishly. "Man you don't wanna know what happened two Christmas' ago. Believe me it was bad."

"Whipped." Derek stated and left the two to there own devices as he made his way to the hall. He really didn't want to think about what Casey and Sam did together. Truthfully just the thought of it made his skin crawl.

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Casey watched Derek enter the building. She really thought that he would have put up a fight about Sam chickening out like that but he just seemed to take it and move on. She didn't quite understand that, it didn't seem like the Derek thing to do.

She looked back at Sam to see the guilty look on his face. She put thoughts of Derek aside and moved in and hugged him. She felt his arms encircle her as she leaned in. They stood like that for a minute or two before she leaned back and smiled at him. "You know I have you wrapped around my little finger." She pulled up her finger and twirled it.

Sam smiled down at her. "Well maybe that's exactly where I like to be."

"Good to know." With that she leaned up and kissed the sensitive spot on the side of his neck and then moved toward the building knowing it wouldn't be long before he followed.

Just as predicted he came running up and wrapped his arms around her from behind taking her off the ground and twirling her. "You are such a tease woman."

She laughed and once he put her down she took his hand and headed for the building. "You know you love it."

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Hours later all the decorations were up and the place looked great. The music equipment was all set up and the banners hung everywhere with pictures of Nora and George on them from each year they were married.

Casey was in the little mini kitchen trying to hang the final banner above the little cupboards but not exactly succeeding. The onther side had been easily accessed but this side was in the corner and out of reach. She stretched up as tall as she could but still it wasn't at all straight.

She was about to give up and let it lay lopsided when a warm body came up behind her and took the banner from her hand and fixed it in place all the while essentially trapping her between his body and the counter.

As they finished she turned to see a smiling Derek. They were so close that almost every part of their bodies were touching. She looked into his eyes as the smile left his mouth as he realized just what was going on. She took a sharp intake of breathe.

"Maybe you should move back a little so I can get out of the way." She said softly.

"I can't the island counter is stabbing me in the back as it is." He said equally as softly. He kept looking into her eyes. It didn't even seem like he was blinking.

Not that she wasn't doing the same. Every part of her body that touched his felt like it was slowly burning from the inside out.

Then suddenly his eyes shifted to her mouth. With the eye contact broken she ducked down and shifted away from him. Putting some much needed distance between them.

She looked at him from the kitchen doorway as she was making her exit. There had been complete silence and he hadn't yet turn around. He had both hands on the counter and his head slightly tilted down.

Casey forced herself to look away and entered the main room. What had that been about. She could still feel him pushed against her and she brought her finger to her mouth and chewed on her knuckle. She need some air.

Just as she was making her way outside however she was stopped by a hand on her arm. She turned to find Lizzie looking at her with a puzzled expression.

"Where are you going we were just deciding on what to get for supper."

Casey looked over at the group of people she loved and saw Sam having an animated conversation with Edwin. She couldn't help but feel guilty looking at him after what didn't happen in the kitchen.

Her eyes shifted to the kitchen doorway where Derek now stood looking at her under hooded eyes.

Casey shook her head and looked at her little sister. "I'm not going anywhere." With that she moved over and joined the family as Sam pulled her close and she closed her eyes.

She opened them long enough to look up at Derek one more time but he wasn't looking her way anymore. In fact he was no where in sight.

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**Hope guys enjoyed that. I can't wait to hear what you have to say.  
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	5. Regrets

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story. I'll tell you if I add any new ones.**

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Derek quickly made his way out of the hall. He had to get as far away from Casey and Sam as possible. If he was being truthful with himself he really had to get away from all of them.

He got into the drivers seat of his rented car and just sat there leaning his head against the wheel.

He wasn't sure exactly what had happened in that kitchen. He had gone to see what she wanted for supper as requested by the rest of the family and there she was trying to put up that banner and not really having much success with it.

He hadn't really thought about what would happen but helping her just seemed like the nice, normal thing to do, at least normal for people that weren't Derek and Casey.

Next thing she was turning and he was trapped between her and the island and there bodies were touching and┘

Derek let out a groan. He knew that if she hadn't of moved he was going to kiss her. What he should be doing right now instead of rehashing all of this is thanking her for doing something before he made a huge mistake.

Put aside the fact that she was in a very serious relationship with Sam. Sam, his oldest friend, the guy that stuck with him through thick and thin all though school. The guy that went along with all his stupid schemes and didn't think anything less of Derek when he had learned that he had failed the first grade.

Yeah, let's put aside the fact that they actually look happy and that Sam obviously loves her and is definitely a good guy.

So if he did that, if he put all that aside he was left with the fact that this was Casey. The girl that drove him crazy from the moment she entered the house with all her new rules and all her organization and the way she planned everything in her life down to the last detail. This was the girl that constantly got him in trouble and loved it. This girl didn't have a fun bone in her body. She certainly couldn't take a joke.

So why did he almost kiss her in that kitchen. Why did he think about the way she smelled all day while he was shopping? Why was she the reason he decided to get his parents that stupid gift? Why was he driving himself crazy with all this?

He slammed his fist onto the dash when suddenly the passenger side door opened. He peaked over to see Marti get into the car.

"What is with you? Why are you damaging a car that isn't even yours and pouting out here when everyone is inside about to get food? The Derek I knew would never run away when food was on the offer." She smiled at him in a way that reminded him of the sweet little girl he had left behind. But he had to remember that this wasn't the same girl. She was a young woman now and bound to have changed.

"I would have come back when the food got here." He smiled at her.

"You still didn't answer my question." She folded her arms and waited.

"Smart ass. I just needed a breather. I'm not really used to being around anyone but myself for long periods of time." He reached out and tickled her softly. "Satisfied?"

She put on a stone face and tried really hard not to laugh. "I may be younger then you but I know bullshit when I hear it. You are Derek and you like crowds. In fact one time you thrived on them so try again."

Derek sighed realizing that he really couldn't outsmart Marti anymore. "Fine I just needed some air. I have my reasons and you don't need to know them. So drop it, ok?"

She scowled at him and then unfolded her airs in defeat. "Fine I'll drop it. For now." With a smirk on her face she got out of the car and walked back to the hall. Turning back at the entrance and waiting for him.

He sighed again and got out of the car. Walking in with her and seeing that everyone was waiting for them.

"Hey we ordered a bit of everything so everyone should enjoy." His father said as he walked over and slung his arm around his shoulder and pulled him toward the table that everyone seemed to be sitting at.

Derek sat down between George and Marti and watched as everyone started talking at once. They asked him questions about the places he had been and the things that he saw. Questions he was happy to answer. His work was his life and he loved it.

Everyone asked question. Everyone that is except Casey who seemed rather quiet and just leaned into Sam's chest with her eyes half closed.

She only looked up at him once when he was talking about a building he had seen in India that had been shaped like a lotus flower. When he described the beauty of the building he could feel her eyes on him. He had to concentrate not to stumble over his words. But soon she looked away.

The food arrived and George hadn't been exaggerating when he said there was a bit of everything. They had Chinese, Pizza, Wings, Ribs, Pasta. Everyone ate their fill and got ready to head home.

* * *

Casey looked at the clock. 2:12 shone at her from the alarm clock next to her. She hadn't slept at all. Sure she had gotten ready for bed and lay down but sleep just eluded her yet again.

Quietly as possible she got out of bed and checked to see that Sam was still asleep. It was easy enough to get up without waking him as she was a very heavy sleeper unlike her.

She leaned in and softly kissed the top of his head and then moved out into the hall. Automatically her eyes went to Derek's closed door. She knew he was sleeping in there instead of the couch because he and his father had talked about it earlier.

Feeling better knowing she wouldn't have to pass him on the couch to get to the kitchen she made her way down the stairs.

The house was quiet and she kind of liked it that way. It wasn't just the water she came down for it was the peace. Just being here made her feel better, knowing that the people she loved were all safe and peacefully sleeping always brought a smile to her face.

She turned on the light over the sink so that the whole room wasn't lit up and then she got a glass from the cupboard. Normally she only drank water when she got up at night but milk just sounded more appealing.

She filled the glass and then returned it to the fridge.

"Don't put it away I want some."

Casey jumped and almost spilled the milk everywhere. The glass started to fall but Derek got there first and caught it. In the process spilling a bit of it on his shirt.

He stared down at the wet spot. "Hope it doesn't stain."

Casey finally caught her breathe and reached out and touched the spot while he laid the milk glass down on the counter.

"I think that it's like water. It doesn't really stain but it might smell if you don't wash it for a few days." She rubbed at the stain with her hand trying to get it out.

Derek laid his hand over hers so she would stop rubbing his chest. "It's ok. I'll wash it tomorrow."

Casey couldn't take her eyes off his hand that rested over hers. She didn't try and move it away. She felt frozen.

She could feel his heart start to beat faster right under her hand and could feel her own start to match it.

Neither moved for a minute just standing there until he reached out his other hand and tilted her head up so she would look into his eyes. But she just couldn't. She looked down again.

Again he tilted her head up. "Casey, look at me."

"I can't" She said softly.

"Please." Slowly she looked up into his eyes. What she saw there scared her and drew her in all at the same time. She swallowed visibly unconsciously chewed her bottom lip. She watched his eyes move down to her lips and then quickly back up to her eyes.

His hand softly touched her cheek. "Casey." It was almost a whisper.

"Derek." She sighed.

He moved his face closer. She could feel his hot breathe as her eyes closed. She felt his both his hands drop. Knowing he was only inches from her. When nothing happened after a few seconds she opened her eyes and she was alone in the kitchen.

Casey grabbed the counter for support and closed her eyes again.

She was in so much trouble.

Once she had pulled herself together she dumped the milk and turned off the light making her way back up to her room. She couldn't help her eyes from wander to his door.

One part of her wanted to barge right in and demand he pick things up where they left off in the kitchen. Another part of her wanted to got in there and thank him for stopping before they made a mistake. But she knew she wasn't going to be going in there. Not for either reason.

Instead she opened her bedroom door and quietly got into bed. She felt Sam move closer and pull her too him. She let herself cuddle into him and when she was sure he was asleep she let the tears fall.

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**Hope you guys are still enjoying the story and I'll bring you more soon. Review and give me any suggestions about the final pairing of the story because I haven't figured that out quite yet.**


	6. I don't wanna talk about it

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story. I'll tell you if I add any new ones.**

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The constant ringing of his cell phone woke Derek from his deep sleep

The constant ringing of his cell phone woke Derek from his deep sleep. He snatched it up and flipped it open.

"This better be good." He growled into the phone.

"Is that anyway to talk to the man who signs your pay checks?"

"Jack?" Derek yawned and sat up stretching.

"Where else you gettin' paid, boy?"

"Sorry just woke up. Not thinking clearly yet. What can I do you for?"

"Well I was just looking over this letter you gave me about your leave and I just realized you didn't tell me when my best photographer would be back on the job. Hopefully not too long because I already had to pass two magazine shots off on Lance. The clients asked for you and weren't too happy with the change."

"I haven't decided yet how long my leave is. But you told me to take all the time I needed if I recall correctly."

"You know I meant get your shit together fast and get your ass back out on the job."

"This is what I'm trying to do. I wasn't the one who wanted to take a leave in the first place if I recall it was something like 'Derek the company psychologist thinks that your repressing your emotions and stressed out and that it will start to affect your job therefore I want you to take off and don't come back until your head is screwed on right. Write up the letter of leave and then take all the time you need.' I seem to recall something along those lines, Jack."

"Smart ass, why haven't I fired you yet?"

"I'm the best you got. I know it and so do you."

"Yeah, yeah. If that head of yours gets any bigger I'm auditioning you for Ripley's Believe it or Not."

Derek smiled into the phone. "I'll call you soon. Tell you when I'm headed back. That's all I can tell you right now."

"Fine, fine, leave me high and dry while you take your brain break. But I better hear from you soon or your ass is grass Venturi."

"I know Jack. Talk to you soon."

Derek flipped the phone closed and looked at the clock: 11:15 am. Despite the fact that he wanted to do nothing more sleep for another few days he got up.

He slipped on the first shirt he came across when a smell hit him. Oh yeah the milk.

It had been 3 days since the incident in the kitchen. He had successfully avoided being alone with Casey for that long.

Even in crowds he barely said more then hi. He couldn't even get in any insults not that that's what he wanted to do with her but maybe it would bring some order back to his universe.

He was suppose to be here relaxing and instead he was wound so tight he was always on edge.

Slipping out of the dirty t-shirt he pulled on another. At least today everyone was gone out. He would watch some tv and maybe do some laundry. He was quickly running out of clean clothes.

Derek grabbed the clothes that were handy and headed downstairs to any empty house. Tossing the clothes into the machine he started it and headed for the kitchen for food.

He had avoided the kitchen for the most part over the last couple of days, which was no small feet in itself. Luckily he still had some power of Edwin after all this time. When he did go in there he made sure that there were a few more people in there with him.

Basically he had officially gone insane. He grabbed the left over Chinese from the fridge and headed for the living room.

When he left he took this chair with him but it was replaced by a less comfortable recliner. It wasn't the same but it would do for the time being.

He started to sift thought the channels to find out that nothing was on tv Friday afternoons, just great.

Therefore he was forced to go to plan B, movie. He hadn't really looked through the movie collection as of late and there didn't really seem to be anything watchable in there. But Derek was convinced that there had to be something to watch in this house.

He knew his movies weren't here but at the small apartment he had in New York that he hardly ever spent more then 2 nights in at a time. Therefore it was time to search the house.

The logical thing would be to head for Ed's room first as he tended to lean towards the horrors and that was just up his alley right now.

Derek headed for Edwin's room but what movies he did find in the mess weren't really appealing.

Next would be Lizzie, she tended to go for the sports type movies last time he asked her but the door was locked.

Marti was sure to have girly movies so that was out.

His eyes moved to Casey's closed room door. He knew it was a bad idea to even attempt to go in here room but he started walking that way without really thinking about. She was sure to own nothing he wanted to see and yet he was opening the unlocked door and entering the room.

He looked around Casey's room. He hadn't been in here since he had gotten home but for the most part it looked the same. There were a few things different however. He noticed that the room although clean didn't look Casey clean.

There was paper scattered on the desk with a variety of pens laid haphazardly on top of it. The bed while made didn't have the hospital feel about it. Then there was the fact that there were men's pants over the back of the chair and cologne and aftershave bottles on the dresser in no specific order.

He went to the dresser with the intention of seeing what kind of cologne Sammy was wearing these days but instead his hands reached out for the shampoo bottle next to it.

Derek flipped up the cover and smelled the strawberry shampoo. He was about to take another sniff with the door slammed shut.

He laid the bottle down fast and turned around.

"What are you doing in here and why are you smelling my shampoo?" Casey did not look happy.

"I…umm…I just…I wanted to know what the shampoo smelt like…I'm looking for a new brand." That had to be the lamest thing that had come out of his mouth in his life.

"Oookaay. That still doesn't explain why you were in my room in the first place."

"I was looking for a movie to watch."

"I don't have any movies; they are all in boxes in storage."

"Oh well then I'll go." He moved to the door but before he could reach the knob she grabbed his arm and turned him around.

"Derek this has to stop."

"What has to stop? I'm not doing anything."

"Yes you are. You're avoiding me."

"Maybe but I have good reason."

"I know I get that but we can't just be like this. I don't know how long we are both going to be living under one roof but for now we are and things are weird."

"I don't want to talk about this Casey."

"Well I do."

Derek took a step towards her and grabbed her upper arms. "Fine, you wanna talk about it. You wanna talk about how I almost kissed you the other day. Not once but twice. You wanna talk about the fact that just being near you is starting to drive me insane." He started to run his hand down her arm. "All I wanna do is touch you. Feel your soft skin beneath my fingers. Hear you say my name like you did the other night in the kitchen, the way that makes my knees buckle and my heart race."

His hand made is way into her hair as he looked her in the eyes for the first time.

Casey swallowed and looked at him. "You can't say those things. You can't just…you can't…you have to stop."

"Is that what you really want?"

Casey wanted a lot of things. She wanted to run and hide in a place where he couldn't find her, where she wouldn't be thinking about the fact that his hands on here skin felt like a match that was lighting a fire within her. She wanted have the strength to push him away. She wanted him to never stop touching her.

She moved her head to the side as his finger ran down her neck onto her shoulder. He eyes closed as he moved closer.

But this time she didn't duck and he didn't run way. This time when there lips finally met she felt like the world had exploded and that she was just scrambling to hold onto something, anything.

It was a light kiss. It lasted only a few seconds but it was powerful. She felt it all the way though her body to her toes which curled up in her sandals.

When he pulled away she slowly opened her eyes and looked at him.

He touched the side of her face. "That shouldn't have happened."

She knew that. Knew that with everything in her and yet she had no response. She started to chew on her bottom lip and she watched his eyes move down to them.

"Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"This." He leaned forward and sucked her bottom lip into his mouth and lightly bite it. His lips softly fit over hers as they shared whisper-light contact but soon it blossomed into a tender, lingering kiss.

Her arms went up to wrap around Derek's neck as his lips moved over hers in a tantalizing exploration. Casey heard herself moan softly.

Derek pulled her closer. So they were body to body.

Reality seemed to fade away. Casey felt like she was floating as Derek deepened the kiss, his tongue entwining with her own.

His hands moved under her shirt at the back feeling her hot skin wanting nothing more then to lay her down on that bed and make her scream his name over and over again.

But instead he pulled back. Kissing the corner of her mouth gently and then taking one step away from her.

She slowly opened her eyes, her lips where red and slightly swollen from the pressure that he had place on them with his own.

They both just stood there for a minute trying to catch their breathe.

"Wow." She finally broke the silence. "That was…" She stopped her sentence when she spotted the chair just beside Derek. Oh God Sam.

Casey moved over to the edge of the bed and sat down. She put her head in her hands for a minute and then looked up to see him still standing there with his hands in his pocket.

He too looked at the chair and saw Sam's pants. "I'm sorry." He spoke softly.

She didn't want sorry. She wanted to take it back. Well truthfully she didn't but just looking at the pants hanging on the chair she knew it was pretty much the most horrible thing she could have done.

She ran her hands over her face and then just looked at him.

"This is my fault."

"Casey how is it your fault, I kissed you?"

"Because I knew it was gonna happen. I knew it 3 days ago. I could have stopped it but I didn't."

Derek didn't really know what to say to that. He knelt down in front of her and reached out a hand and softly touched her cheek as a tear rolled down.

Derek Venturi did not do tears but this time, on this woman he just couldn't seem to look away. He wiped the tear from her cheek as another fell right behind it.

Then in the softest voice she spoke. "He asked me to marry him." To say he was shocked was an understatement. He knew they were together a long time but marriage. He nodded his head as she looked at him in acknowledgement to what she was saying.

To which she said softly. "And I said yes." She closed her eyes and more tears fell.

Derek felt like his heart had stopped for just a second. She was going to marry Sam. He asked her and she said yes. She was engaged and here he was kissing her when no one was around. Could he be more of a jerk?

"Casey I…" But he was cut off but a shout from downstairs.

"Hey Case, Nora said you came home for a nap." Sam's shouted.

Casey franticly wiped the tears from her eyes and stood up causing Derek to follow suit.

She opened the door just as he was turning the corner at the top of the stairs.

"I just came to see if you needed a nap buddy." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Then he saw Derek beside her and got a confused look on his face. "What's going on?"

Casey looked back at Derek with a pleading look in her eyes and then back at Sam.

"Casey here just caught me in her room. I was looking for a movie to watch. Nothing but documentaries and chick flicks in this house. I checked all the other rooms her's was last on the list."

Sam gave him a weird look but shrugged it off. "Well I can tell you even if Casey had movies here, there wouldn't be anything you'd be interested in. Just more chick flicks."

Derek smiled and moved towards his room. "That nap sounds like a good idea. Talk to you guys later."

"Sure D." They watched as Derek entered his room and shut the door behind him.

Then Sam pulled Casey into her room. "So how about that nap?"

"I'm not really that tired anymore."

"Well in that cause, sleeping isn't really a requirement." He again wiggled his eyebrows and moved her over to sit on the bed.

"As much as I would love to ravage you while Derek is on the other side of the wall, I have a headache." She looked down at the hands that he had entwined with hers.

"Oh. Well it's doctor Sam to the rescue." He lay down on the bed and pulled her up to him, laying her head on his chest. "You just relax and let the cuddling heal you. You know I can work magic."

Casey wrapped her arm around his stomach and cuddled in closing her eyes. The guilt washed over in waves. She knew that if Sam knew what happened in this very room minutes before he came home she wouldn't be here with him like this and that thought scared Casey more than almost anything.

Sam had been her rock for so long. He made her world work. He was the one that put up with her and all her little quirks. Not that she really deserved that.

"Shh…stop thinking so much. Your brain is gonna over load one of these days and then where will you be." She could hear the smile in his voice as he started to fun his hands through her hair.

A few silent tears fell onto his chest. "I try to stop thinking but you know me my brain doesn't stop just because I ask it to."

He laughed softly. "Hush up smarty pants and let the magic of Sam make you all better."

"I love the magic of Sam."

"And I love you Casey." He leaned in and kissed her head softly as she drifted off to sleep for the first time in 2 days.

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**This chapter was a bit longer but I hope you enjoyed it. As far as I'm concerned the story is just starting and anything can happen from here. I've been thinking about putting in some things about the other characters. At the very least I'm gonna get a little more of Sam's point of view on things. I like the way that Derek and Casey are evolving but right now Sam's character is kinda two dimensional.**

**Thank you everyone for your reviews. I really love the feedback on the story and the pairing suggestions.**

**I hope you continue to enjoy the story and reviews are great.**


	7. To the future

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story. I'll tell you if I add any new ones.**

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Sam yawned as he woke noticing that the room was now filled in darkness. He looked down to see Casey fast asleep beside him, curled into herself. He got up as quietly as possible knowing she was a light sleeper.

Once he was around the bed he just looked at her for a minute. Although she slept on she looked like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. He leaned in and kissed her forehead softly.

Once he was sure he hadn't woken her he left the room and closed the door quietly behind him. Checking his watch he saw that it was almost 9. They had been asleep for a good 6 and a half hours.

He made his way down the stairs to find Marti and Lizzie in front of the tv watching Sydney White again. "Arn't you guys sick of that movie already?" They both only looked up long enough to glare at him before returning there full attention to the television.

Sam smiled and headed for the kitchen. Edwin was sat at the table. His laptop in front of him and a open pizza box to the side.

Sam sat down and grabbed a slice of pizza tasting the cheesy goodness.

Edwin looked up for a minute. "Do chicks dig Architects?"

Sam smiled as he pulled a piece of bacon off and ate it. "Well Casey certainly does." He wiggled his eyebrows.

"Ew...I prefer not to think of Casey as a chick thank you very much."

"Well why do you ask?"

"I have to declare a new major. I was going into accounting but the numbers just boggle the brain."

"I understand that but Architecture takes a lot of time and it can definitely boggle the brain in its own ways." Sam finished his slice of pizza and grabbed another.

"Well I don't know what to do then." Edwin through up his hands in defeat and gestured to the screen. "There is just too much to choose from."

Sam moved closer and turned the laptop. "Well what's something you think you would be good at."

"I don't know that I'm good at that's the point." Sam could really see how stressful this all was for him.

"Well one of my buddies in Toronto is a career councilor you could give him a call, see what he says. Couldn't hurt right"  
"Thanks man." Edwin stretched and finally saw that Sam had eaten half of his pizza. "Hey."

"Sorry you snooze you lose." With that Sam got up and went to the fridge popping open a can of coke and drinking half of it.

"So were is everyone else. I saw Marti and Lizze on the couch. Where's the rents and Derek?"

"As far as I know Derek's in his room. We called him for supper but he wouldn't come out. Don't know what got up his butt if he wasn't hungry. Anyway, Dad got called out of town for something and Nora decided to go with. They should be back in a few days."

"Cool. So what are you at tonight?"

"This is about it. It's pretty boring living back here during the summer. All my buddies stayed in Toronto so it's just me and Liz and she seems more interested in watching girlie movies with Marti."

Sam felt bad for Edwin he knew what it felt like to leave his life behind even if it was for the short term. Sam had been content in Toronto. He had lots of friends and there was always somewhere to go or be when he wasn't studying. But Casey had sacrificed what she wanted for him so here he was.

"Wanna go out for burgers, see if anything is happening?"

"Sure but arn't you full, wait before you answer I know stupid question. I'll grab my coat."

"I'll be there in a sec, I just gotta write Casey a note." Sam scribbled down a note for Casey telling her he was gone out with Ed and would be back soon. Then he grabbed his coat said goodbye to the girls who didn't even look up as they waved goodbye and headed out.

* * *

Derek caught the tennis ball in his right hand and again threw it at the wall. He had been at it for an hour now and didn't seem to help at all. It didn't make him forget about the way she felt, the way she tasted. How she moaned his name in that low guttural voice.

He had to force himself to stop thinking about it. God why had he kissed her. Why had he put himself though that. I knew even before she told him she was engaged that nothing could come of it but still he was doomed to torture himself.

She's engaged Derek, engaged to be married, engaged to Sam. He had to stop this.

He took a deep breathe and tried again. OK lets look at this logically. This is Casey. Just because he was attracted to her didn't have to mean anything. It was just physical and therefore didn't mean anything and he could easily get over that. I wasn't like it was the first time he kissed a girl and then walked away. He was Derek Venturi he didn't really do feelings when he came to the opposite sex. He had a few times in high school sort of but since then nothing. He just enjoyed woman while they were around and then moved on. Not that he was heartless they didn't wanna stick around anymore then he wanted them to.

So therefore the only reason he was thinking about Casey anymore was because she was near by and she...

Who was he kidding she was frustrating the hell out of him. The whole situation was crap and not really good for one's sanity.

He threw the ball a little harder catching it just as a loud knock came at the wall. Derek just threw it again for some reason trying to spite Sam.

Another knock came but he was into it now. Sammy wasn't gonna be getting peace on his watch. He threw it again but this time if flew by him and he turned when he didn't hear it drop.

Casey was standing in the doorway holding the ball and looking so mad she could bite his head off.

She closed the door and came forward dropping the ball on him. "Der-ek. I was trying to sleep you know. What is your problem anyway?"

Before he could stop himself he said. "Sorry I thought it was Sammy knocking on the wall."

"Why would that matter? Either way you were keeping me up. Sam isn't even in there." She was pacing now obviously frustrated.

He got up but kept his distance, she looked like she could strike at any minute.

"You know I haven't sleep for more then 3 hours straight in 3 months. 3 months Derek. I finally am tired enough, wiped out enough that I am sleeping and you have to be in here playing with your stupid ball. Grr..." She turned around and stepped toward him and threw her hands up in defeat. "Why are you ruining my life?"

Derek looked at the wall that divided their rooms and then back at her. "Casey you can just go back to sleep and everything will be fine OK?"

Then she took a deep breathe and closed her eyes. All the life seemed to drain out of her. "No Derek everything will not be fine."

Then he knew she wasn't just talking about him waking her up, she meant what happened earlier. He watched as she covered her face.

Derek moved forward and pulled her into his arms. She willing let herself go to him. He hugged her tight rubbing his hand up and down her back. "It'll be OK Casey, it will I promise."

He heard her hiccup and knew she was crying. "No Derek you can't fix this."

"I can try."

She hide her face in his chest and just stayed there for a minute soaking up his strength. "What are you gonna do go back in time and make it not happen."

"I would if I could." He felt her stiffen for a minute at that comment. "We could just forget it didn't happen. Wipe the slate clean and no one has to know and no one's life has to change in anyway." He ran his hand over her hair resting his head against hers and kinda rocked back and forth in a soothing motion.

Everything was quiet for a few minutes until she softly spoke up. "I could hardly look at him earlier. The guilt of it all was tearing me apart. He deserves so much better then me." She hiccuped again as she continued to cry into his chest.

"Shh...don't say that. We made a mistake. We're only human and you listen to me..." He pulled her face up to look at him. Here eyes were starting to get puffy and her lip was quivering a little. "You are an amazing person, intelligent, beautiful, a little mouthy..." She laughed softly around the tears. "...but over all you Sam or any other guy couldn't ask for anyone better then you. I promise you that."

He softly touched her cheek and smiled at her. "Did I help at all?"

She moved out of his arms a little and wiped her eyes. She smiled softly at him. "Yeah you did, a little. Not that I don't still feel like a horrible person but not as horrible as when I came in here I think."

He moved back a little too. "I'm glad I could help."

He moved with her to the door and opened it. Just before she was leaving she turned and stepped close. Reaching out she touched his cheek and then leaned in and kissed the corner to his mouth. "Thank you." She moved away and went to her own door.

He watched as she turned around a small smile on her face. "And Derek?"

"Yes?"

"Don't let me have to come in and yell at you about the noise again." With that she disappeared into her bedroom and shut the door behind him.

Derek just stood there for a second and then turned and re-entered his room closing the door. "That girl is gonna drive me to drink." He whispered to no one in particular.

* * *

**Hope you liked it. No making out I know but you did get to see a softer side of things.**

**Also a little Sam and Edwin which is different so...**

**Review people I wanna knew what you think. Oh and thank you to everyone who has reviewed in the past I really appreciate it. ****  
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	8. Macaroni Salad

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story. I'll tell you if I add any new ones.**

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Saturday morning brought with it rain. So much so that everyone in the McDonald-Venturi household thought it best to stay inside. Therefore when Sunday morning brought sunshine everyone was in agreement that they would not waste anytime getting out of the house.

The question was where to go and enjoy the nice day that they had been given. It was quickly decided that everyone was a little lazy so the backyard was just as good as anywhere they could go.

That was how Derek found himself laying on a chaise in the backyard overlooking the large pool that his father and Nora had installed after his father made partner at his firm. Lizzie and Edwin were both in the pool fighting for possession of the floating blow up chair, Marti was stretched out on the chaise next to him and Casey and Sam were somewhere inside the house. Even knowing Casey was only in there to get drinks he couldn't help the scenarios that ran through his mind every time she was alone with Sam. Not that she shouldn't be they were engaged afterwards but just the though left him with chest pains.

Before he could torture himself anymore however he felt a large blast of cold water hit the side of his head. He jumped up and looked in the direction of the blast and soon realized he was on the wrong end of Sam's water gun. Just before the second blast hit him he jumped up and ran for the hose that lay on the ground near the pool and aimed it at Sam, quickly firing back. This was what started the water war. They chased one another around both soaked from head to toe.

Lizzie and Edwin moved to the other end of the pool and stayed out of there way. Marti when seeing what was going on yelled that she was going to Dimi's and ran off next door.

Sam was running low on water Derek knew but before he could take advantage of this fact he heard the back door slam shut and looked at Sam knowing it would be Casey. "What do you say we get Casey in on the fun?" Sam smiled at him and they both turned and shot at her.

Casey had just set down the drinks and was about to yell to Sam that Ralph was here to see him when she saw that they had changed targets from each other to her. As the water came towards her on impulse she pulled Ralph outside and in front of her. She crouched behind him and waited until it stopped.

Once the water had stopped and she looked up at Ralph and couldn't help but laugh at his expression.

"Hey what gives?" Ralph wiped his face with his already wet t-shirt.

Derek and Sam looked each other and then the very wet Ralph and burst out laughing.

It didn't take long for Ralph and Casey to join in the laughing as the two men got closer.

"This is what I get for coming to warn you that your sister is out for blood." Ralph looked at Sam with a small smile.

Sam wiped his forehead with his hand and sighed. "Great, what did I do now?"

"You forgot to tell her Camren was out of diapers when you babysat the other night."

"Why would she be mad about that now┘it was like a week ago?"

Ralph shrugged. "You know Carrianne she lets things simmer for a few days and then explodes."

Sam slapped his hand on Ralph's shoulder and smiled at the other man. "You are gonna have to learn to control your wife Ralph. Let me guess you did something stupid and instead of being a man and standing up to her you moved the blame back to me."

Ralph gave a guilty look and mumbled. "Maybe..."

Derek looked at the exchange between the two people who used to be his best friends. "Wait so you married Carrianne?"

Ralph looked up and noticed Derek for what seemed the first time. "Hey D, didn't know you were here." Ralph and Derek exchanged a handshake they had come up with in the 10 grade and smiled. "Yeah Carri and I got married 3 years ago." Ralph took out his wallet and flipped it open showing Derek the pictures. "We got two kids. This is Jamie he's 5." He pointed at the little boy with the sandy hair and big smile holding a little baby. "And that there that's my baby, Camren. She'll be 6 months next week."

Derek smiled at the pictures. Things certainly had changed around here. "Nice Ralph, congrats." He patted him on the back.

Ralph's face was lit up with a huge smile as he looked at his kids. Then he looked up like he just remembered something. "Oh yeah...so Sam the reason I'm here is to ask to borrow your barbeque out of storage ours gave out and with the barbeque tonight..."

"So you didn't come to warn me at all." Sam smiled at his friend. "You came to con me out of my barbeque."

"Well...""

But before he could continue Casey flipped him around to look at her. "Wait a minute the barbeque is tonight. As in 6 hours from now." She looked a little shocked.

"Yeah you forget?"

Casey looked like she had just been broadsided with a bus. "Oh no...I told Carri I would make the salads and bake the pies and..." She was pacing now.

Sam grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her to face him. "Case, calm down ok. We can just run out and buy some pies."

"No...no I promised I would make them from scratch. You know that Jamie is expecting my blueberry pie. I just have to...I can't make the salads too."

"I'll help ok."

Ralph came into the conversation at this point. "Actually I mean I know your tryin' to help her feel better but I need your help with the storage unit. They won't let anyone that isn't on the list in and I can't carry it out by myself."

"Shit." Sam looked over at Lizzie and Edwin as they were making there way towards the house. "Liz can you help Casey with the salads for the barbeque?"

"I wish I could help really but Edwin and I are going to a play this afternoon that a friend of ours is in. We have to leave now so we can get there. Sorry Casey." Lizzie gave her sister a guilty look as her and Edwin made there way into the house.

"I'll help." Everyone turned to Derek.

"Seriously?" Sam and Ralph both questioned.

"Yeah why not salads aren't that hard to make and I'm not busy."

"Thanks D." Sam clapped him on the shoulder.

"Yeah and Derek your welcome to come to the barbeque. Its not a big crowd could be fun. Steaks all around."

Derek smiled at Ralph's offer. "Sounds good."

"Great. So Sam you ready."

"Yeah I just got to change."

"Ok well I don't have clothes so I guess the seat is getting wet. I'll be waiting out front."

"Ok, be there in a minute." Then he turned to Derek. "Thanks again." Sam pulled Casey into his arms and kissed her softly. "I'll be back soon. Don't go running off with Derek or anything while I'm gone." He laughed as he went in to get changed.

* * *

So here she was yet again in the kitchen with Derek and the silence was deafening. She rolled out the crust for the pie and placed it in the two pans. Then went to get the blueberries. Adding them and the top crust and placing them in the oven.

As she went to see how Derek was doing she noticed the mess Derek was making of the macaroni salad. She took the fork from him and started to mix in the egg. "How exactly do you mess up macaroni salad?"

"I was doing just fine until you interfered." He moved her out of the way and took the fork from her continuing what he was doing.

"Der-ek you have to mix in the mayo all the way up before you add the ham and the cheese." She again went for the fork but he wasn't letting go. She pulled and he pulled and then macaroni went flying into her hair.

"Look what you did Derek. Why couldn't you just..." She stopped when he burst out laughing.

"Oh yeah...you think that's funny. What do you think about this?" She took a handful of the salad and smashed it on his head.

"Oh you are so gonna pay for that." She laughed and ran around the island as he gave chase. He threw beet salad and she threw some mashed potato. They rounded the island and squared off, laughing to kill themselves.

She made a dash for the backdoor but he was just too fast for her. He caught her in his arms and held a handful of beet salad over her face. "You wouldn't." He laughed and moved it closer. She smiled and then it was like all of a sudden they realized just how close they were.

He laid the salad down in the bowl and looked at her. "You have salad still in your hair." He reached out and started to pull it out. Laying the bits on the counter.

"We should..." She spoke softly.

"I know..." He rubbed finished with the macaroni, his thumb running softly over her cheek.

"This is bad..."

"I know..." He leaned in closer and her eyes were closing when all of a sudden he moved back as if coming to his senses.

She reached out her hand behind his head and pulled his lips to hers. The second their lips touched it was like an explosion. He pulled her closer attacking her mouth with a fever not being able to get enough of her.

She was pretty much feeling the same. Hands went everywhere, hearts beating out of control, breathe coming in short bursts.

He pushed her backwards until her back came up upon the counter. He moved his lips from her mouth kissing his way down her neck. Her hands went to the back of his head as he moved her up onto the counter.

Her legs wrapped around his waist. She reached her hands down to the bottom of his shirt; he lifted his lips from her shoulder long enough for her to pull it over his head. He then went back to her lips as her hands moved up his chest and around his back.

Her fingers bit into his skin as he kissed her chin, her cheek, her ear.

"Casey..."

"Derek..." She moaned.

"Casey, your pies." Then she smelled it.

"Oh..." She pushed him off of her and then jumped down and moved to the oven. Pulling on oven mitts and quickly extracting the pies. Laying them on the rack on the top of the oven.

"Thank God, they didn't burn." She waved the oven mitt over the pies.

He leaned back on the counter and crossed his arms over his chest.

Once she saw that the pies were good she turned back to him. Then she blushed seeing his chest just bare to her like that. He certainly toned up in the time he had been gone. She noticed a when they kissed a few days ago but seeing it was certainly a different experience. She swallowed and held onto the counter behind her.

"Umm...maybe...maybe you should put your shirt back on."

He gave her a look she couldn't quite understand and then picked up his shirt off the floor. "I wasn't the one that took it off if I remember correctly."

She didn't really know she could blush any more then she already was.

"I know I just...Derek this...this is..." She looked down, not really able to look him in the eye at this point.

He lifted her chin with his finger and made her look him in the eye his t-shirt forgotten fell from his hand as he reached up to cup her cheek. "Casey I can't do this anymore."

She looked at him not really sure what to say to that. "I just...I didn't mean...I know we can't..."

"Look Casey we can dance around this thing until the cows come home but the fact is there is something here. I never really expected it but for some reason it's not that surprising to me. But I can't do this. I can't be near you, smell you and get brief glimpses into what it is like to be able to touch you." He ran his thumb over her bottom lip. "It kills me you know, knowing that this has the potential to shatter him and yet what ultimately hurts the most is the knowledge that he touches you, feels you, kisses you, holds you." He felt the tears as they ran over his thumb. Her face turned into his hand and her eyes closed.

"I just...I don't know what to do Derek. I love him. I have a life with him. He doesn't deserve to be hurt. But this..." She looked him in the eye then, gesturing between them. "This is different...I've felt attraction before but this, whatever it is, is something more then that. I'm drawn to you. I think about you all the time since you came back and when I'm not thinking about you I'm feeling guilty about thinking about you or wanting to touch you or kiss you." She leaned in closer and he leaned in but just as they were about to kiss he moved away from her. Putting distance between them before anything else could happen.

Derek reached down and picked up his shirt again but this time pulled it over his head. "Ok here's the new game plan. I'm gonna stay until next Saturday so I'm here for the party. I promised Dad I'd stay that long. Then I'm gonna pack up my things and get back to my life and try to forget this. Then you can go back to your happy little life with Sam and he doesn't have to know anything about this. Until then I say we keep our distance. Try not to be alone and go from there. Sound like a plan?" He waited for her response, waited for her to look up.

When she did she wiped the tears from her eyes. "I think your right. Whatever this is isn't worth ruining my life over. But you don't have to leave. The apartment will be ready on Wednesday, we'll be moving out then. You should stay, visit."

"I'll think about it." Then he moved to her again. Running his hand along her neck to the back and pulled her lips to his. The kiss was short and sweet and to the point but it was still fireworks. "Last time I promise." Then he left her standing in the kitchen with mess all around her and tears threatening to fall once again.

* * *

**There you go another chapter. Hope you enjoy and review. **

**So what do you think? Is it time for Derek to go back to work? Should Casey tell Sam either way?**


	9. The bottom fell out

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**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story. **

* * *

The anniversary party came and went and then as said Derek left London Ontario and made his way back to New York, back to his job, back to what he laughingly called a life.

Everyone at the office was happy to see his return from Jack the big boss man, to his colleagues, to the clients. Yes if there is one thing for certain it was that Derek did good work and that people loved him.

He quickly found himself yet again buried in work and it wasn't such a bad thing when he thought about it. When he had a camera in his hands, when he could capture the beauty of the world on film he was lost in that world. He had no time to think about what had happened at home. No time to think about how he betrayed the best friend a guy could have asked for, no time to think about the girl that tied him in knots and then left him to find his own way out. No this was much better. He was sure of it.

Derek popped the top of this beer and sat down in his recliner, flicking on the hockey game and settling in for a relaxing night. About thirty minutes into the game he quickly realized that relaxing was not really something that he was going to be able to do.

He finished his now very warm can of beer and tossed the empty making his way to the room that he had daubed his workout room. He sat down on the bench and picked up the weights at his feet lifting them one after the other to his chest and then down again. He moved on to the treadmill after a half an hour and ran, ran away from his problems, ran until the only thing on his mind was the ache in his muscles.

He turned off the treadmill and walked legs shaken into the shower and then headed for bed, exhausted and wore out. Falling into yet another sleep filled with dreams of Casey and what could have been.

* * *

Casey laid her bag down on the couch and looked around their new apartment. They had been there for just over a week now and although it was beautiful it was yet to feel like home.

"Sam, are you home?" She yelled to the obviously empty apartment. She sighed and felt guilty that she was a little glad he wasn't around. She made her way to the bathroom and took down her hair, making quick work of running a bubble bath. She grabbed some towels and took off her clothes easing her way in.

Her muscles ached from running around like a gofer at work. Days like this she felt more like an assistant then a copywriter, albeit junior copywriter. Just as she was about to lean her head back and relax she noticed the diamond that glittered in the bathroom light. The ring seemed to mock her as she stared at it as memories of last Friday night came back to her.

_Nora and George just seemed so happy. It was like they were in this little bubble for two and nothing could disrupt them. She had watched them go and talk to everyone in attendance. The biggest smile of the night lit up her mothers face though when she opened the gift from Derek._

_It turned out he had gotten them a karaoke machine, something that her mother had been wanting for what seemed like forever. They didn't waste much time setting it up and singing a duet for all to see. People took turns singing song after song and clapping for everyone. Then her mother insisted that Sam and she must sing something together. Nora picked the song 'I got you babe' by Sonny and Cher. They smiled as they made her way up there and sang their hearts out. Sam didn't have the best voice in the world but it didn't seem to matter._

_Once they were done he took her hand and made her bow low. Then Sam told everyone they had an announcement to make. It had been really sweet how he pulled her close and told the whole place how much he loved her and now she had finally agreed to make an honest man out of him and become his wife. She had smiled looking at everyone but the second her eyes had met Derek's the smile became forced and fake. She watched as he stared at her for what seemed like an eternity and then left._

_She didn't see him after that. When they all met up at the McDonald-Venturi house the next day he was already gone. Everyone seemed bummed that he wasn't around again but they all expressed the fact that they knew he wouldn't be back forever so it was understandable._

Casey took off her engagement ring and placed it on the small table next to the tub so it didn't get wet and then slipped down farther into the tub and closed her eyes.

She wasn't sure how long she was in there when she felt hands on her shoulders. She looked up to see Sam's face smiling down at her. "So what do you say, got enough room in there for me?"

Casey smiled and sat up and moved out of the tub. "Actually I was just getting out." She took the towel he offered and dried her body and then wrapped it around her. Taking a second towel she wound up her hair and moved out of the bathroom and into there bedroom.

She quickly found pajamas and started to pull them on when Sam stopped her movements before she got her tank top on, pulling her up against him from behind. His hands ran around her body and rested on her stomach as his began to kiss down her neck. "I missed you all day you know."

Casey didn't move out of his hold but didn't participate she smiled a sad smile. "I love you Sam."

"And I love you too Case. We are gonna have the best life together." He spun her around and went to kiss her mouth when he noticed the tears that were beginning to stream down her face. He reached up and wiped them about with his thumb. "Casey what's wrong?" She turned her face away but he refused to let her hurt alone. "Look at me, did I do something wrong?"

"No..." She trailed off for a minute and then so soft he almost didn't hear she whispered. "...I did."

She moved out of his arms and pulled on the rest of her pajamas and then started to brush her hair but the tears were still falling. He took the brush from her hands and turned her to look at him. "Casey, look whatever it is it can't be that bad. We can get through anything remember."

She smiled a small sad watery smile. "I don't think we can this time."

"Casey, you're scaring me. Sit down and talk to me. Tell me what happened and then we can go from there." She let him lead her to the edge of the bed. He sat down next to her and moved so they were facing one another, taking her hands in his.

She looked down for a few minutes not really sure how she was gonna start this, but now that she had she knew there was no turning back. "Sam you know how much I love you and how much I would hate to hurt you in any way but..." She trailed off reached a hand up and wiping the tears.

Sam just sat there and waited for her to continue. He swallowed over the lump in his throat having a good idea he was not gonna like what she was about to say. "Casey, tell me the rest." He just couldn't stand the silence.

She hiccupped around the tears and finally looked him in the eye. "I...I...I kissed someone else." She said it very softly but he heard her. He heard the moment the bottom fell out of his world.

He just looked down at their hands as he listened to her cry and it broke his heart. "Just once?" Was the first of many questions he needed the answer to.

"Twice."

He took a deep breathe, trying to ring in his emotions. "So it wasn't just a slip." He already knew that answer to that from the look on her face. "Did it go any farther, did you sleep with him?"

She looked at him shocked. "No...No you have to believe me I wouldn't...I couldn't...Sam."

He let her hands drop from his and looked up before his eyes returned to hers. "I want to believe you Casey but you can see how after what you just told me I could be a little skeptical."

She didn't reply she just looked down not able to see the hurt in his eyes any longer.

Sam got up and put some distance between them. "God, I don't even know what to ask, what do say to this. I really didn't think that this could ever happen to us Casey. I thought that you felt about me what I do about you."

She jumped up and went to him touching his arm. "I do Sam. I love you so much. I made a mistake ok. You have to know that. I hate hurting you like this but┘I really do love you."

"Well you have some funny way of showing it that's for sure." He moved away from her not able to be so close to her at this time. He paced a little and then looked back at her. "I thought that after what happened with Emily you would know how much it hurts to find out the person you love betrayed you. Do you remember how that almost tore us apart, do you remember how hurt you were. We weren't even together that long at that time and still..." He paced some more. "And that wasn't even true."

Casey thought back to the time late in there college years when her and Sam had been together almost a year when her best friend betrayed her. She came on to Sam and Casey had caught this. At the time she hadn't believed Sam when he said he was innocent and it had tore her up inside. She had done that to him and this time she couldn't plead innocent because she was guilty and she hadn't told him the worst part either, the part that if he wasn't already shattered would take him there.

She let him pace some more not really knowing what to say or do at this point. She just needed to wait for him to process.

Then he stopped again. "When did this happen?"

"A few weeks ago."

Then he paced again for about ten minutes before he dropped into a chair looking completely mentally and physically exhausted. He sat there with his head in his head leaning forward.

"I don't really know if I want to know this but I don't think I'm gonna get past it. Casey who was it?"

Casey swallowed and then wiped the rest of the tears from her face. She moved to him and knelt in front of him touching his face. "I think that we shouldn't go there. It won't help you to know so let's just drop it."

He looked at her as anger appeared on his face for what seemed like the first time during this whole ordeal. "Casey, tell me." He said really slowly.

She closed her eyes for a second and then stood up. "I can't tell you." Now he was mad. He got up from his chair and moved to her turning her to face him and looking her in the eye. "You owe me this much Casey." She just looked at him like she was gonna cry again. "Was it Mark from work?" She shook her head. "What about Jeff from the book store he always looks at you like he would like to get down your pants." He laughed at that but there no humor it. She shook her head again and tried to move away but he held her in place. "Casey tell me, just tell me damn it."

She looked down again not able to look at him while she said it. "Derek." She closed her eyes tight and willed the moment to be over.

She felt him let go of her and move away from her at this point. She didn't want to look at him but she just couldn't help it. He was standing there like he had been hit by a bus.

She moved to him and reached out for him but he evaded her touch. "Don't." He moved away from her and then anger seemed to fill him again. "You guys were laughing at me weren't you?"

She looked at him like he was insane. "Of course not."

"You were laughing at just how stupid I was. It's hilarious right. Oh that Sam he trusts his girlfriend, trusts his oldest friend, and trusts that they are not screwing him over behind his back. Yup, hilarious, isn't it."

"No...no it isn't like that."

"Then what's it like Casey. You didn't just want to hurt me you wanted to find the worst possible way to do so. Is that how it is?"

"No, of course not." She reached for him again but he moved out of the way.

"Don't Casey. I can't do this right now."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I can't have you touching me, I can't look at you, I can't even be in the same house as you. I have to get some air." With that he moved to the room door.

"Wait, Sam, are you coming back?"

He turned to look at her one last time with a sad smile. "You really don't want me to answer that question right now Casey." With that he left her in the bedroom.

She could hear him open and close the closet and then slam the front door behind him.

Once he was gone she fell to her knees and let the tears flow.

* * *

**Well there you go people, she told Sam. The question is what happens now. Don't count out either Sam or Derek because it's not over yet folks.**

**Hope you all enjoyed it and your gonna review. I just love to hear from you.**

**What do you think should Sam forgive her?**


	10. What's a party without Derek

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story. Well except Carrianne.**

**Sorry it took me so long to update but this week has been crazy. Don't worry I won't make you wait this long again. Hope you enjoy**

* * *

Casey twitched and turned not being able to stand still

Casey twitched and turned not feeling comfortable in here own skin.

"Casey McDonald if you do not stand still I swear I will poke you with this pin and I'm not talking by accident. " Carrianne said around the pins in her mouth as she walked around Casey fixing her dress.

"I'm sorry Carri but I'm itchy…this dress is itchy." She started to scratch herself over the material.

"Casey your insane. Silk is not itchy. What is wrong with you?"

Casey sighed and stopped scratching and then looked at herself in the mirror for what seemed like the hundredth time. She was in a floor length white gown. The top of the dress was a halter that just skimmed under her arms that just seemed to sparkle. The skirt flowed down slightly away from her body. It was truly the most beautiful thing she had ever worn and yet she was itchy.

Carrianne finished with the pins and stepped away from the dress and looked at her work. "Aside from the fact that you're obviously crazy you will make an amazing bride."

Casey looked at her friend and smiled. "Thank you and it's probably just nerves with the wedding just 4 days away and you know how my brain works, worry…worry…worry."

"Casey you don't have anything to be worried about ok you guys are so happy and you love each other what more could you ask for?"

Casey shook herself and then went and hugged her obviously pregnant friend. "Your right Carri everything will be perfect."

"So to change the subject a little how is that soon to be husband of yours. How's he holding up with the stress and all?"

Casey smiled at that. "He's doing great actually. He is just so calm about everything."

She again moved in front of the mirror and smoothed her hands down her dress looking at herself and smiling. This had always been her dream. To wear the most beautiful dress that was made just for her, to walk down the aisle to the man that she loved and spend the rest of her life in wedded bliss. Nerves or no nerves nothing would ruin that.

Derek came in the door of his apartment and threw his camera case and laptop down on the couch. The shoot today had been a success as far as he was concerned. He couldn't wait to look at the negatives.

He made his way to the refrigerator and took out a bottle of water; uncapping it he took a drink as he pressed play on the answer machine. He hadn't checked it in a while and there seemed to be 13 messages waiting for him. The first nine messages were in and out he couldn't really tell who was calling let alone what the message was. Damn answering machine he kept meaning to get a new one. The next message was from Jack ranting about how he wasn't his personal secretary and for people to stop calling him at work and how if he had a cell phone he should keep it on or its useless. Derek smiled at that and listened to the next of the messages.

The next message 2 messages were from clients requesting sittings to see the work he had done for them. He made a note to call them back.

The last message started with static and then he heard his father's voice through the crackles. He wasn't sure exactly what he was saying he couldn't really pick up all of it.

"Derek…need to be…left messages…call back…something…need to be here…important…answer."

Derek looked at the clock and noticed that it wasn't that late. The message had him a little worried so he called home right away. The phone rang and rang until the answer machine came on and said it was full. He hung up and tried his father's cell phone but it said it was turned off.

What was going on? He chugged the rest of his water telling himself everything was ok and he would just call back later. He sat down and started to watch some TV but it just couldn't seem to hold his attention. What if something really horrible had happened?

He had to find out.

He grabbed his laptop and camera case along with his turned off cell phone and his car keys and headed out for the McDonald-Venturi house.

Madness was the only way to describe the situation that he found himself in when he arrived at the house. He had knocked on the door but no one answered although he could hear noise from within. He turned the knob finding it unlocked and walked in laying down his stuff.

The living room was crowded with women; they seemed to be coming out of the wood works. They were all talking at once and no one even seemed to notice his presence.

Derek made his way to the kitchen in search of his family. He spotted Lizzie making punch or more like she spotted him as he entered.

"Derek what are you doing here, you can't be here now, no guys allowed." He looked at his stepsister a little strangely and then looked around the kitchen space that was covered in food. All the table and counter space had trays of finger foods on them.

"Umm…where's Dad or Nora?"

Lizzie looked up from the punch long enough to respond. "Mom is upstairs with Marti and Casey and no you can't go up there. As for George, him and Edwin hightailed it out of here when the guests started to arrive."

Derek looked back into the living room again and noticed the balloons and the ribbons hung everywhere. It hadn't been that noticeable when he walked in to all the girls but now he saw it.

"Pretty big party." He commented.

Lizzie just laughed softly and then picked up the punch bowl and made her way past Derek. "Well it is important." With that she was gone into the living room.

Derek moved to the counter and picked up a piece of ham on a toothpick. Nothing really seemed wrong here. Unless the invasion of the females was the problem his father was talking about. Derek smiled at that and then turned when he heard someone behind him thinking it was Lizzie about to bitch at him about the food he ate.

But when he turned it wasn't Lizzie standing there, no it was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. "Casey."

Casey had walked in the kitchen with her eyes focused on the cups Lizzie had sent her after and didn't really look up until she heard her name. She knew that voice. She looked up into Derek's eyes.

She forgot to breathe for a minute with the shock of it all. She hadn't seen him in 9 months, he hadn't even come home for Christmas this year and now here he was right in front of her, close enough she could just reach out and touch him.

She shook that thought from her head and straightened up. "What…what are you doing here Derek?"

"Apparently I lost my invitation to this little party that you're throwing."

"It's not really a party." She looked in and saw that no one was looking in the kitchen they were all too preoccupied with the game Lizzie had started. She turned back to Derek. "It's a shower, which means females only and the last time I checked that didn't include you."

A smirk rose to his face at her comment. "You never really did check now did you?" He said low enough so no one but her could hear.

Her eyes almost popped out of her head. "Umm…I…I should…I should be…you know." She started to back up when he reached out and touched her arm before taking his hand back.

"Chill Case, it was a joke, sorry."

"That's fine…but I really should get back and all. I mean this is my…" Casey was cut off but a growl behind her. She turned just in time to see Sam enter the kitchen fast and grab Derek throwing him against the wall with his arm to Derek's throat.

"Sam what's your problem?" Derek was trying to push him off but not very hard and Sam didn't seem like he was letting go anytime soon.

"How dare you? How dare you come back here now?" Sam practically growled in return.

Casey had been standing there watching the events unfold and not really moving. Not really knowing what to do but when she saw Sam lean in and put more pressure on Derek's neck she rushed forward and grabbed Sam's arm trying to pull him off. "Sam…come on let him go."

Sam looked back at her and she could see the pure rage on his face. "Please Sam." He looked back at Derek and shoved him a little before moving back a few feet.

Derek almost fell forward when Sam let go. He rubbed his neck and looked up at the other two. "I didn't mean to crash the party I was just…"

"Coming to ruin my wedding?" Sam spat out as he crossed his arms.

"Wait…what…what are you talking about?"

"Well you didn't succeed the first time right so try, try again."

Then it all came crashing down on Derek. He looked from Sam's angry face to Casey's sad one and knew that his oldest friend knew how he had betrayed him. "Sam you got it all wrong I didn't mean…"

"You didn't mean what Derek. You didn't mean to kiss my fiancé is that it? Or how about you didn't mean to betray the one person that had always trusted you? Oh I know you didn't mean to be such a jackass that after almost ruining both of our lives you show up here now, 3 days before the wedding. Coincidence, I think not."

Derek had never really seen Sam this mad before and certainly not at him. If he had known about the wedding this was the last place he would be right now. He looked down and took a breath. "Listen I'm…"

"I'm warning you if sorry comes out of your mouth I will knock you unconscious."

Derek just closed his mouth and then looked at Casey who had been really quiet. She looked ashamed and about to tear up.

He wasn't sticking around for that. "I'll just go."

"You do that."

Derek was about to go get his stuff when his father and Nora came into the kitchen. They both had huge smiles on their faces.

"Derek." His father came forward and hugged him. "I'm so glad you're here. I've been calling you for weeks."

"Is everything ok?"

"Of course it is. I was just calling you to make sure you came to the wedding. But now that you're here…"

Derek looked at Sam who had dropped his arms and had a fake smile on his face. He knew that Sam would kill him if he stayed and he didn't know if he could sit through Casey's wedding anyway. It would kill him to see he marry Sam right before his eyes. It was bad enough it was happening but to be a witness. That he couldn't do.

"I thought there was an emergency. I have to get back to work."

"Oh that's a shame. Well you're here now so stay and we'll visit for the night."

"Dad I really can't…"

"Nonsense you can't drive all the way back now anyway. So it's settled."

Derek couldn't look at Sam or Casey. "Ok but I have to leave first thing tomorrow morning."

"Fine, fine now we should get out of here before they force us to stay for the party games. Come on Sam let's let the girls have their fun." George kissed Nora and went towards the front door. Sam shoved Derek as he passed him and sent him a death glare and then followed George out the door.

Derek groaned and went to follow. This would be a long night.

* * *

**So there you have it. Sam did forgive her after all. I'll get in to that a little more soon after all there was a nine month gap. **

**The wedding is in 3 days but anything could happen.**

**Review please I love to hear what you think. Should Sam beat up Derek? Should Casey marry Sam? **


	11. First aid and feelings

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story. Except Cindy and Amanda.  
**

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The party went by in what seemed like a blur. There were people congratulating her left and right, food being passed round. Stupid little party games that made everyone laugh and lots of presents. Some of which were practical, a new set of towels, some new dishes, a bathroom set and then there were the gifts that she really didn't want to open in front of her mother not to mention Lizzie and Marti. Casey's face was red for what seemed like the last hour of the party. Until the last of the guys left and all there was, was mess.

It was just after 10, the party had gotten out of hand and lasted hours longer then it was intended to. Lizzie had gone back to Toronto hours ago so she would be there for class the next morning and Marti was gone to sleep at her friend Cindy's house. Her mother had gone to bed with a headache and here she was all alone cleaning up the mess.

Casey moved around with a garbage bag making quick work of cleaning up the used cups and plates. There was wrapping paper and napkins and other stuff she didn't really want to think about but it all went in the bag.

Once the main cleaning was done she moved on to straightening up the presents anything to keep her mind busy so she didn't think about what happened earlier that day. The last person she expected to see today was Derek. She had been trying really had to put him out of her mind completely so his presence had really thrown her for a loop.

Then there was Sam. She couldn't really blame him for his reaction; he had every reason to be mad at the both of them. She still could hardly believe that he had forgiven her. It hadn't been easy either. She had spent 2 months sleeping alone in their bed thinking about what a horrible person she was about how if she could go back she would change things or at least she would want to change things.

Then one night when she had thought all hope was lost he just showed up at the door. He looked like he had been run over by a truck and he didn't say a word he just kissed her. He made love to her that night like he hadn't done in what seemed like forever. Then when they were lying in the afterglow, as she was thinking it had to be a dream he told her that the past was the past and the minute they said I do all of that would be behind them. Then he told her that he wanted to marry her as soon as possible and all she could do was smile and kiss him and call the church the next morning.

From there things just escalated and it seemed that the last few months had been all about cake samples and wedding invitations and floral arrangements. Casey sat on the couch and started to straighten the presents. This was the first time her and Sam had been apart since that night but they had agreed that her staying here for a few days would make their honeymoon more special.

She picked up a beautiful black lace teddy that her friend Amanda had given her; she couldn't wait to wear it. She shoved the nightgown back in the box as fast as she could.

Casey looked up to see George come into the house with a slumped Derek. George was barely holding him up. When she got closer she say that Derek's face was bruised. His lip was cut and there was a gagged cut on the side of his face.

She moved to his other side and helped George get him to the couch. "My God what happened?"

"Kinda hard to explain Casey it involves man stuff. There was some football which turned into wrestling which turned into I don't know something else. Anyway they'll both be fine." George tried to explain as he yawned and headed toward the kitchen and she figured downstairs.

"Wait who else?" She was almost afraid to ask.

"Sam but he's fine. Doesn't look nearly as bad as Derek. We dropped him off first he was passed out before I even left. Edwin is staying over at your place with him."

"Oh…I'll call him tomorrow then."

"Yeah…well night Casey."

"Night." She waited until she heard the door close and lock and before turning around.

Casey looked back at Derek who was sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. She sat down on the coffee table in front of him. "I don't even know what to say."

He sat there for a minute and then looked up at her. "Nothing to say I'm fine."

Just one look at him and she knew that wasn't true. She didn't know what kind of pain he was in but the cuts and scraps she could see were pretty ugly to her. She reached her hand out and touched his gash but he pulled away from her. "Derek don't be a baby." She stood up and looked at him. "Come on lets go bandage you up."

"Really I'm fine."

"Your not now come on before I make you."

He couldn't help but smile at her take charge attitude. He reluctantly got up and followed her to the upstairs bathroom. She closed the door then remembered no one was home and thought it better to keep it open. She pushed him so he was sitting on the toilet and then went in search of the first aid kit.

Once found she opened it and made sure it had the antiseptic and bandages and then she wet a facecloth and moved in front of him. She moved his chin so he was looking up at her and then carefully started to clean his cut.

Everything was quiet until she couldn't stand it anymore. "What happened Derek?"

"Your imagination can probably figure that out on your own."

She sighed. "Well I want you to tell me."

"We were all playing flag football in the park. Everything was fine until I went to grab this guys flag and accidentally shoved Sam a little. That kinda set him off. There was yelling and shoving. I kept trying to walk away but he just kept pushing me and then well it turned into a wrestling match and then well just a fight. Dad and Ed finally broke it up."

Casey had been quiet while he explained. She knew it was a bad idea to send those to out together. They were just asking for trouble. "Did you hurt him?"

"He's fine."

"Like your fine you mean?"

"No he's actually fine. He got in a few good shots that's all then it was over."

"Oh."

She finished with the washing and got the antiseptic and squished a little on her finger. "This may sting." He moved back slightly at her touch.

She moved so she was kneeling before him. "Don't be a baby. If Marti can take this stuff after she hurt her knee then you certainly can. I thought you were suppose to be big strong Derek?" She laughed softly.

"Do not mock me Casey McDonald." He teased.

She laughed a little more and then moved to place the ointment on his lip. Her finger stalled when his lips gently kissed the end of her finger.

She looked up into his eyes that moments before held laughter but now were far from it. She knew were the look lead and she couldn't go there again. Quickly Casey stood up and moved to the first aid kit and closed it putting it back under the sink where she found it.

When she stood back up she felt hands on her hips. Her eyes closed as he moved his body completely against her back. He leaned in and whispered in her ear. "It's been 9 months sense I touched you and yet I still remember the softness of your skin." His voice was husky and full of need. He softly kissed the nap of her neck as she moved it to the side so he had better access.

He turned her around in his arms after a few minutes and lifted her chin. "Casey open your eyes. Look at me."

"I can't...Derek we can't…I…"

He ran his thumb along her jaw. "I know all the reasons why this is wrong but yet here I am again." He kissed the side of her face and the corner of her mouth and then looked down at her again. "Casey if you can honestly tell me that you don't think about me at all, if you don't think about how it feels to kiss me, how it feels to be held by me then I'll let you go right now and you can just move on from this moment and go one with your happy little life. Just tell me Casey and we can stop."

Casey opened her eyes and looked into his. That was her mistake she knew because as soon as she say the genuine emotion in his eyes not just rare lust she was gone. "I don't wanna lie."

That was all it took for his lips to take hers. He pulled her more firmly against him and kissed her like his life depended on it, like he had dreamed about for the long months since he went back to his sad little life.

He soon realized this wasn't one sided. Casey gave as good as she got. He kissed her hard as his hands wandered down her body lifting her legs and pulling them up around his waist. Then he moved her backwards out of the bathroom and towards his open bedroom door. The entire way there his lips didn't leave hers. He closed the door with his foot and quickly made his way to the bed.

They tumbled onto it in a mess of arms and legs. Her shirt soon landed on the floor followed soon after by his. There were hands and mouths going everywhere, exploring and tasting. Touching one another in ways that they had only dreamed about.

Casey spun them so she was on top stratling his hips. She grinned down at him as she took off her bra and let it join the shirts on the floor. Leaning in she took his lips again. After that it was a wrestling match for control. The remainder of the clothes went flying across the room soon they both explored every inch of the other not wanting to miss anything.

When he finally did take her it was the most amazing experience of her life. She had had sex before, in fact she had had great sex before but this was on a different level. This was fire and ice all at the same time. It was like he knew her body, knew how she was going to react to everything and anticipated every need, every itch.

When they finally came down she couldn't move, couldn't hardly blink. He laid down next to her and tried to catch his breath.

Soon enough though the gravity of the situation hit her and she just turned away from him. Laying there and trying to figure how all of this had actually happened. She felt him pull the covers over them and then snuggle in to her. She was weak in the moment and just wanted comfort so she let him. She moved as close as she could back to him and let him hold her.

Just as sleep was finally over taking her very tired body she just faintly heard him whisper the words that complicated things even more. "I love you Casey." Before she could even form a thought her body went limp and she feel into a deep sleep.

* * *

Casey woke up early the next morning to find herself in Derek's bed. She sat up as the events of the previous night came to her in a rush. She has slept with Derek and he loved her. She turned over to look at him but only found an empty bed. She looked at the clock and saw that it was barely after 7 and again looked back to the other side of the bed. But this time she saw the envelope on the pillow with her name scribbled on it.

She sat up completely making sure that her chest was covered and then opened the envelope taking out the piece of paper and reading the scribbled note.

"Case, I left this morning. I started driving back extremely early this morning and will probably be half way back to New York by the time you read this. I watched you sleep last night and realized something. If I stayed there and let you wake up in my arms I wouldn't be able to let you go. I wouldn't be able to let you marry Sam and I know that no matter what is between us he's the one that can give you the stability that you always wanted. Knowing me I would probably screw things up even worse anyway so I did what I thought was best. Case I wish you all the happiness in the world. Love you, Derek.

Casey read the note a few more times and then got up and got dressed and made her way out to her room. She got changed in her pajamas and got back in bed not really wanted to face the world just yet.

* * *

**Well there you have it folks. Hope you enjoyed.**

**It's two days until the wedding people. **

**Thanks for all the reviews and keep them coming. I want your comments and opinions.**


	12. A letter

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story. I'll tell you if I add any new ones.**

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Sam pulled on his shirt and then finished towel drying his hair. His eyes rose to see the tuxedo bag hung on the closet door. Casey and him were getting married in the morning. Most people commented on how nervous he must be but he knew that this was what was supposed to happen. She was so important to him. He threw his towel in the hamper and winced when he scraped the towel on his knuckles.

He knew that Derek's face looked worse then his hand. That thought should make him smile but it didn't. It was really hard to hate the person that you thought of as your best friend for basically all your life. So he was closer to Ralph for the last couple of years but that hadn't changed things. When Derek had returned he thought it was the most amazing timing. All the pieces of his life seemed to be fitting into place, great job, great fiancé, great place and now all his close friends there to share it. He just wanted to hit himself for be so stupid as to trust him so completely. Casey had been acting so strangely for days and he didn't even think anything of it.

Sam sighed and headed for the kitchen and opened the fridge staring at the contents as though something would magically pop out at him. He just had to get his mind off all those bad thoughts. He had been successful in doing so until all of a sudden right before his wedding Derek had to show his face again. He couldn't even believe he had the nerve and then to go to his football game. His hand gripped the handle of the fridge harder and he had to tell himself that Derek was gone, Casey and him were fine and that he would be able to call his wife in less than 24 hours.

He grabbed a bottle of water and downed half of it as he made his way to the living room where Edwin was chilling out watching some action movie on tv. Sam plopped down beside him.

"Hey." Edwin said without taking his eyes off the tv. "Whoa did you see that explosion. Wicked."

"Yeah. That reminds me of that movie with…" Sam was cut off by the doorbell, no one uses the doorbell he had almost forgotten they had one.

Sam got up and moved to the door opening it to a tall lanky boy that looked about 15. "Are you Sam?" The boys voice squeaked a little as he talked.

"That's me."

"Sign here for a letter." The boy presented a clipboard and pen. Sam signed and the boy gave him an envelope with just Sam written on it. "What is it?"

"I just deliver them." Sam handed him a few bucks and closed the door.

"What's that?" Edwin finally looked away from the tv.

"Not sure." Sam opened the envelope and took out the page of letter paper. He had to read it two times to really understand what he was seeing.

He looked up when Edwin again asked what it was. Sam took the paper folded it, stuck it in his pocket and grabbed his jacket and his keys.

"What's going on? Where are you going?"

"I got something I need to do. I'll be back you know where the spare key is." With that he was out the door and headed for his truck.

* * *

Derek finished his second workout of the day. The last two days seemed to have gone by in a blur of sleep, eat and work out. He hadn't called back his boss who had called him at least 10 times about appointments he had missed. He didn't want anything to do with the world outside his apartment until the day after tomorrow.

Then he would no longer be tempted to race back to London and tell Casey he made a huge mistake and that they should run off somewhere. Derek had finally admitted to himself that he loved her. There was no getting around it now. It killed him to know she was marrying Sam tomorrow and it killed him knowing it was the best thing for her. He sighed and hopped in the shower, hoping no just to get rid of the sweat but that the hot water would keep his mind off his problems.

After he got out he dressed and ran his fingers through his wet hair as the phone rang. He didn't answer it instead sat down in front of the tv and turned it for a few minutes. He would head to bed soon and then when he woke up he would know that at that moment that Casey was back in London telling Sam she would love him for the rest of her life. He growled in frustration just as the doorbell rang.

He got up and opened it for what was sure to be the Chinese food guy who he had told to come by with the same order for the last few days. When he opened the door however before he could saw anything he was slammed against a wall and looking into the very angry eyes of Sam.

Man was he sick of this guy pushing him around. He had gone easy on his before but he wouldn't hold back if that was what Sam really wanted. He pushed Sam against the other door and closed his apartment door. "What the hell is your problem, its one thing to attack me when I come to London but to come all the way to my apartment to attack me. Get over it."

Sam laughed but there was no humor in it. "Whatever Derek. Where the hell is she? Is she here?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Casey where is she?"

"How would I know?"

Sam moved past him and walked around the small empty apartment and then returned to Derek and shoved a piece of paper into his hands.

Derek opened the folded paper to see a letter in Casey's handwriting.

"_Dear Sam, you know how much you mean to me and that the last few years of my life have been infinitely better because you were in them. I wish things were different but I can't marry you tomorrow. By the time you read this I'll be gone. Please don't try to find me. I resigned from work and left letters for everyone explaining how I'm calling this off and I canceled everything I can. The refunds will all come to you any that I could get and anything else I'll take care of._

_I'm so sorry to hurt you like this. But I know that one day you'll meet someone else and you'll be so happy you'll forget all about me. I wish only the best things in life for you. I love you Sammy. You're my best friend and my first real love. You'll always be in my heart._

_Casey."_

Derek read the letter twice and then looked up at Sam whose anger had faded and now looked completely defeated. "I'm so sorry Sam, but I really don't know anything about this."

Sam sighed and sat down on Derek's couch with his head in his hands. Derek sat in his chair not wanting to get to close. They just sat like this for a half an hour before Sam looked up.

"I thought we were happy." Sam spoke softly. It wasn't really said like a question more a statement.

Derek wasn't really sure what to say or if he should really say anything at all.

Sam stood up as though he was gonna leave and then sat back down. "I can't just go back there. Everyone is expecting a wedding and even though Casey said she was giving them letters it will kill me to see all that sympathy on there faces."

Just then the doorbell rang. Derek got up and answered it paying the delivery boy and taking the Chinese food into the living room area. He sat next to Sam and offered him the extra set of chopsticks and both boys ate in silence.

Derek turned on the hockey game and they just ate and watched the game. Not talking to each other but every once in a while yelling at the tv. When the game was over and the food was gone Derek got up and headed for the closet taking out a pillow and blanket and laying it on the couch next to Sam.

He locked the door and turned to see Sam already laying down covered up turned into the back of the couch as he headed to bed himself.

The last thought as he drifted off to sleep was Casey wasn't getting married.

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**I know it was a bit short but I wanted to get the story back on track. Hope you enjoyed.**

**Next chapter will skip a little bit of time but not too much.**

**Tell me what you think and what you think should happen next. I can't wait to hear from you.**


	13. Moving on

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story. With the exception of Jon, Kathy and Gary. **

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Derek shut the door to his apartment and lay down the bag with this camera in it. He had returned to work three weeks ago, the day after Casey and Sam's non-wedding. He had had to do some pretty smooth talking not to lose his job but he was lucky to have such a great boss. But he knew if he didn't have the talent he would have been out on his ass years ago.

As he headed to the fridge for some water he heard the water turn off in the bathroom. He was almost finished his bottle of water when Sam entered the room fully dressed towel drying his hair.

"So we decided that the stink was too much for us did we?" Derek teased. Sam had been staying here since he arrived on his doorstep looking for Casey. He hadn't wanted to go back and face everyone and he had time off for the honeymoon anyway so he decided to stay put. However despite the close confines of the apartment they weren't really buddy, buddy. Derek was gone to Germany for a week and the remainder of the time he would work all day and then return home to eat, work out and then sleep.

"Shut up Derek." Sam had set up shop in Derek's living room. He would sit there all day watching the sports network and eating. Derek had to force him to change a few times into his old workout wear, as he hadn't brought anything with him.

"Come on you've got to admit that you've been neglecting the showers as of late."

"Whatever."

Derek threw the bottle into the recycling and planted his butt in his chair, taking the remote and channel surfing.

Sam left the room for a minute to get rid of the towel and then sat down on the couch next to him. "Nora called again."

Nora had made a routine out of calling his house. The first call was simply to tell him about the wedding and ask if he knew anything about where Casey might have gone but then when she found out Sam was there she began to call regularly. She would ask about Sam, make sure he was ok and then ask if Casey had called or come by. Sam never came to the phone and as for Casey the answer to all the questions were no.

"Did you let the machine get it?"

"No I picked up."

That got his attention. Derek turned so he could see the profile of Sam's face as he spoke. "What did you guys talk about?"

"Well we talked about the weather and the issues with the space shuttle. What do you think we talked about, Derek. She asked if I was ok and when I was coming home and if I had heard anything from Casey."

"What did you say?"

"That one day I will be fine, that I haven't heard even a peep from Casey and that I was coming home soon."

"Is that what the shower is about?"

"Yeah, I have to get back to work. I already took a few extra days and it's not like I'm on top of the food chain in that company as it is. Besides it's time."

"Time to move on."

"Time to let my life start again. I don't want to move on but what am I suppose to do. Casey's gone and it doesn't seem like she's coming back any time soon."

"I get it."

Then there was silence again as they watched some reality show that saw how far people would go for money.

The next morning Derek woke up to find his couch empty and a piece of paper on the table with the word 'thanks' sprawled across it. Sam was gone.

* * *

**4 months later**

* * *

Sam clapped Edwin on the back as he entered the living room. "All done?"

"Yeah this is the last box." Edwin taped over the top of the box and wrote living room on it.

Nora and Marti entered the room with their coats on. "George just called and he said that Lizzie and Jon just got to the house. We were gonna head over there, are you guys coming?"

"Yeah I just finished, just let me get my hoody." Edwin moved into the other room and quickly returned pulling his sweater over his head.

"Sam, are you coming?" Nora asked as she touched his arm.

"Nah…I figured I would spend my last night here among the boxes. I'm just gonna order some food and watch the TV. I haven't got the cable disconnected yet so. Besides the moving truck is coming early so I wanna be here."

"Well I'll be back in the morning to help clean the place after the boxes are loaded."

"You don't have to. I mean I can handle it."

Nora just smiled and hugged him quickly. "Don't be foolish you can't do everything your self. We will all be here in the morning and now with Lizzie bringing Jon home there will be an extra pair of hands for the loading."

"Thanks Nora. I really appreciate all the help. A few of my buddies are gonna meet me at the new apartment when I get back in Toronto and help me unload."

"Good. Now call if you need anything." She waved as she went outside.

"Bye Sam, see you in the morning." Marti smiled as she chased after her mother.

"Yeah see you tomorrow, man." With that Edwin followed the others and he was alone.

Sam just stood there and looked at the mountains of boxes and shook his head. It will take them a while to get this all loaded and unloaded tomorrow.

He wandered from room to room and stopped in the spare room. The room was cram packed with boxes, along with a dresser set and a green chair. He ran his finger along the letters on the box, Casey.

He hadn't really known what to do with all it when he got back to London after his stay with Derek. He had gradually been moving stuff in the spare room and keeping the door closed. Nora and Marti had been nice enough to pack all the stuff up for him. They would take it tomorrow and store it in the basement for Casey, when and if she ever got back.

He hadn't heard word one from her but she had written a few emails to her parents and her sisters telling them she was ok and she loved them.

Sam sat in the chair and ran his hand over the velvet armrest. He had hated this chair when Casey bought it but she had been so proud of her find. It was the first piece of furniture that she had bought completely on her own and she loved it. Therefore he put up with it. It was the first thing to go in the spare room when he got back.

Sitting here in this room with all the other things she had left behind he wanted very much to hate her but he couldn't. He had tried over and over again to tell himself that she was a hurtful person but he just couldn't seem to believe it.

He sighed and stood up again running his fingers over the words. Then he turned off the light and closed the door.

A few hours later he had just been sitting down eating his second spring roll when a knock came at the door. He glanced at the clock and saw that it was just after 10. But knowing Nora she forgot something or brought him food. He turned off the tv and opened the door smiling. But it wasn't Nora that stood in front of him. It was a very nervous looking Casey.

He just looked at her for a minute. Her hair was a few inches longer and her skin had more of a tan than the last time he saw her but she looked pretty much the same as when he left her at her shower 5 months ago.

"Hi." She spoke softly and fidgeted with her hands.

"Hi."

"Umm…can I come in?"

Sam shook his head as though he was breaking out of a daze and moved aside so she could enter the apartment that they had picked out together.

He shut the door and moved toward the living room almost running into Casey. She turned and looked at him. "Your moving?" She seemed a little shocked but she still spoke in a soft voice.

He moved around her and put a little distance between them. "Yeah I got a great job opportunity in Toronto. I had to take it."

"Oh...that's great. Congratulations." She moved around the room looking at all the boxes.

"Thanks. It's better money and a better title." He shoved his hands in his pocket and leaned against the wall.

She glanced back at him and gave him a half smile. "You deserve it."

Enough of this Sam sighed. "Casey, why are you here?"

"I wanted to talk to you."

"About what and why now?"

"Can we sit and talk." She indicated the couch.

"No, come sit in the kitchen." He moved that way before she responded.

He opened the fridge, which was basically empty. "Water?"

"Yes please."

He grabbed two bottles of water and closed the fridge. When he looked she was sitting at the table waiting for him. He took the seat next to her and opened his water drinking a little and then looking at her. "So?"

She fidgeted with the water bottle label as she looked down. "I'm sorry."

"About which part. The part where you left me the day before our wedding, the part where you didn't have the guts to say it to my face or the part where you haven't so much as sent me an email with hello in it since then." Sam was really surprised that he kept his cool through that.

"I'm sorry for all of it. I just thought that if I left and wasn't around it would be easier."

"Easier for who Casey?"

"For you. I didn't want to hurt you anymore then I already was and I thought if I was around everyday then it would be worse."

"You didn't do this just for me. You ran away because you didn't want to face the repercussions of what you did."

"Maybe it was partly that. Maybe it was also the fact that if I saw you that day or even the next day than I would chicken out. I would go ahead with the marriage and I knew that that wasn't the right thing."

"Why?"

"Because you deserved more."

"That's just cold feet."

"No it wasn't. It was the truth."

"That's bullshit Casey. You were everything to me. All I wanted was you. You were enough."

"But I wasn't sure if all I wanted was you." She looked up at him then and tears were gathering in her eyes.

Sam swore and leaned his head back and then after a few minutes he looked at her as a tear slide down her cheek.

"It's because Derek came back right. You saw him and thought maybe I wasn't enough. You wanted to trade up right."

"No…" She reached over for his hand but he moved it from her. "…that wasn't it at all. It wasn't about trading in any way, shape or form. It was about the fact that I was attracted to someone else and you deserved someone who only thought about you."

"Couple's are attracted to other people sometime Casey it doesn't mean they aren't meant for each other, it just means that they are human. As long as they vowed to always be faithful then that was all that mattered."

"It's not as simple as that. I love you Sam but I don't think that marriage would have been a good path for us. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too." He reached out and wiped her tears with his sleeve.

Sam wasn't really sure how to broach the next topic but he just had to know. "Have you talked to Derek?"

"Not sense before the…before the…well before that day that didn't happen." She reached out and took his hand and this time he didn't pull away. "Nothing is going on between me and Derek."

He gave her a weak smile and looked at her. They sat in silence for a few minutes and then he sighed. "What now?"

"I'm not sure what to do exactly. I mean I know I want to stay friends with you, you have been my best friend for so long but if it's too hard on you then I understand."

He squeezed her hand reassuringly. "We can try it. I can't really promise anything especially once you move on. If you haven't already."

"I haven't." She smiled softly at him. "I'm glad I came and talked to you."

"Yeah I think I needed it. I kinda needed to leave this behind when I move and you being here made that easier somehow."

She smiled and touched his face softly and then let her hand fall. "I'm glad."

"I only really have one more question. What happened to you since you left town?"

"Well I left my job so I was unemployed and I had just enough in my savings for travel and sleeping arrangements for a few weeks. I drove around Canada and the states for about a week and a half and then I settled in Boston. Do you remember my friend Kathy? Well I met up with her there and she set me up with her husbands publishing firm. It was smaller then my office here and therefore I wasn't really at the bottom anymore. I started working there. I hung out with Kathy and worked. That was about it. The company is expanding and one of the companies it's joining with is located in London and the other is in New York City. Gary, that's Kathy's husband he wanted me to head up one of the firms. I already choose New York but it really got me thinking and I knew I had to come back and see you." She looked up at Sam and smiled. "That's about it."

Sam ran his fingers through his hair. "Well then. I'm glad you got a better job."

"Thanks."

Sam got up from his chair and put his bottle back in the fridge. When he turned back she was already up and leaning on the doorway. "You leaving?"

"Yeah I'm gonna head over to the house and finally face the music. It's time." She moved forward to hug him and then stopped as though she realized what she was doing.

He moved forward and pulled her into his arms and held her there. Closing his eyes for a minute and then letting her go.

She smiled and moved to leave then turned back. "So, how will this work? Should I call you or email you or…"

"We'll figure it out."

"Bye Sam." With that she was gone and moments later the front door closed behind her.

He leaned back on the counter and sighed. "Bye Case."

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**There you go. I hope you enjoyed. **

**But don't think that just because Sam is moving on that Derek and Casey can just fall into each other's arms. Things arn't really that simple. **

**Review and tell me what you think and give me any suggestions you have. I love to hear from you.**


	14. New beginnings

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story. Except Jon.  
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Her little sister was getting married. That thought just kept running through Casey's mind as she tried to get to sleep in her old bed, in her old room in the McDonald/Venturi house. It had certainly been a huge day for her.

She had spent months running from all her problems. Running from repercussions and feelings she just wasn't ready for but she knew even before she left that it would all have to come to a head someday.

She hadn't really planed to make this trip to London today but she had been packing the last of her measly amount of things to be sent to her new apartment in New York when she found her engagement ring. She had placed it in a ring box she had kept herself from a few years ago and then packed it away in the bottom of her suitcase before she left. At first she hadn't been able to look at it and then slowly the need to see it had started to go way. But this morning when she found the ring and opened the box it sparkled up at her just like the day Sam first gave it to her. She knew then and there that Sam deserved to hear things from her face to face.

She hadn't told him about what happened with Derek just before the non-wedding. She had thought about doing just that but she knew that it would only hurt him more. The guilt over that act would have to be hers to bear.

Casey sighed and looked around the room. This was the room she spent most of her teenage life in and this was the room she shared with Sam when they stayed here over a year ago and here she was again, in the same room. It all just seemed to come back around full circle.

She wasn't really sure if she liked that idea or not but she did know that coming here today had definitely been the right thing. Talking with Sam had been what was best. She was glad that he was moving on with his life. He hadn't wanted to move back to London in the first place and now he got to go back to Toronto and start his life all over again. Although it had been months and their lives had been complicated over the last year or so she still missed him all the time. The weirdest part was she missed him when they were in the same room together. She knew they couldn't be together but she still missed the way things used to be. She just missed how it seemed that her life had fallen into place.

Then Casey smiled as again thoughts of Lizzie came to mind. When she had left Sam and made her way home she had been scared beyond belief that somehow they wouldn't accept her that they would be angry and not want her around. She had been wrong.

The moment the door was opened she was greeted with shook and awe but also with happiness and excitement. Everyone seemed to miss her and love her just as much as they always did. It was all she could have asked for and yet she felt guilty for running away from them in the first place.

They sat and talked and she told them all of her job and her promotion and of her friends, then after being prompted she told them about her visit with Sam, well the reader digest version anyway. After they seemed to be out of questions she asked her own, inquiring how everyone was and what they had been up to. There lives just seemed to go on without her and that made her a little sad but mostly happy.

The biggest surprise of the night however wasn't her sudden arrival but Jon's proposal to Lizzie as they all sat and relaxed in the living room. Casey had watched as her sister smiled, she radiated happiness and love. It was the most amazing site. Her answer didn't come in a calm however but in an explosion of yeses that she was sure the neighbors heard. It was a happy moment and Casey was so overjoyed she was there to share it.

Her mother cried and hugging Lizzie while Edwin and George scowled at first protesting that they had only been together for less than a year and that they were too young but George at least was persuaded by her mother's insistence that age and time didn't matter when it came to love. After this Edwin half smiled but still made little remarks. Marti however was the happiest of them all with all questions about the wedding that couldn't possibly have been figured out in the 10 minutes they had been engaged.

After the excitement ended they all went out for ice cream to celebrate and then headed home, off to their respective rooms for sleep and here she was laying down in her bed as sleep yet again eluded her.

It seemed she couldn't stop thinking. She thought about everything that is except that thing over there with the pin in it. That thing that she had yet to determine if it was a mistake, that thing that scared her to death and caused her to run, that thing that might be love, that thing that involved a certain step-brother.

All day long she would consciously push thoughts of him out of her mind but as sleep approached every night he would just seem to creep in there. He was the last thought she had every night as sleep finally claimed her.

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Grocery shopping was a chore that Derek put off as long as possible. He hated to shop for food especially when he was hungry as he was right now. This is why he relied so much on take out.

As he wondered the isled looking at the 20 different kinds of tomato sauce he cursed his need for sustenance. If he was being truthful he really enjoyed food it was the preparing and shopping for it parts that he hated.

Derek looked around and didn't see anyone coming. He smirked to himself as he ran down the isle with the shopping cart, sailing and then he turned a corner fast only to slam into another cart and cause an explosion of metal on metal and food flying everywhere. He wanted to laugh but knew the other person probably wouldn't find it funny so instead started to quickly pick up all he could carry and then finally he looked up at the victim of his childish game only to come face to face with the person he saw every night in his sleep.

Everything he had picked up dropped to the ground as he looked at her like he hadn't seen her in years when in fact it had only been 7 months, 3 days, 2 hours and a few minutes but who was counting right. "Casey?"

She herself had seemed to be in a trance but quickly came out of it as a store employee approached them. "Are you ok? What exactly is going on here?"

Derek turned to the boy that couldn't be more than 16. "I didn't see her coming when I turned a corner, no big deal."

The boy seemed to give him an evil eye. Then he took out a walky talky and called for someone to clean up the isle. That was when Derek noticed that his tomato sauce bottle had broke open and tomato sauce was all over the floor as well as broken glass. He immediately moved Casey out of the way and over to the side as the maintenance guy came to clean up the mess.

The boy turned to him and again looked at him evilly and told him he would have to tell his manager about this and see what had to be done.

"Come on, it was an accident."

"I don't know about that. We will let the video cameras tell us that sir."

Derek cursed, as he knew exactly what the cameras would show. Without thinking he grabbed a still mute Casey and ran out of the supermarket as fast as possible as the boy ran after him yelling. Lucky for him he gave up after making it to the door. Once they were on the sidewalk a little ways away Derek stopped and then looked at Casey worried what she would do.

What happened next he didn't expect though. She burst out into laughter. Not that soft sweet kind but the loud hysterical kind. "Did…you…see…his face…." After a minute all he could do was laugh with her. The people walking by gave them weird looks, which only served to full the laughter.

After a good 15 minutes they finally stopped laughing and silence seemed to take over. Then something hit him. "Casey what are you doing here?"

"I just live down the block."

"Since when?"

"A few months ago, I'm running the New York office of DD publishing."

Casey had been living in New York and he hadn't known. How was that possible?

"Crap." Casey shouted.

"What?"

"My dinner was in that cart and I'm hungry."

Derek laughed at her inappropriate outburst. "There's a great pizza place just around the corner if you wanna check it out."

Casey seemed to be fighting some sort of battle with herself but eventually agreed. They made there way to the pizza place and were seated in a booth. It didn't take long to order the pizza as they both liked pepperoni, cheese, mushrooms and green peppers. The hard part came after the pizza was ordered and they had nothing to do but wait.

"So…I heard that you won an award a few months ago. Congratulations"

Derek smiled softly. "It was no big deal. My boss entered one of my photos, they seemed to like it."

She looked at him strange. "It's not like the Derek I know to be shy about any accomplishments. You used to boost about how many little packages of butter you could eat." She smiled at the memory.

"I'll have you know I could still beat anyone at that game."

"Oh what a talent."

"Shut up McDonald."

"Make me Venturi."

"So that's the way you want it to be is it?"

"So what if it is."

Derek smiled and went to get up when the waiter arrived with the pizza. That quickly put an end to any conversation as they both ate like they hadn't eaten in years. Once they were done Derek paid the check despite Casey's protests and they made there way back out onto the streets of New York.

The sky had turned a gray color as they air got cooler. "I'll walk you home." Derek insisted.

"You don't have to. I just live a few blocks away and I walk there all the time."

"Don't argue. It's getting dark and this is New York not London."

"I know that Derek." Yet despite this they both started to walk down the street to her apartment. The walk there was silent. Not so much an awkward one like last time but a content one as the city seemed to move at warp speed around them.

"This is me." Casey said as she stopped in front of a brick townhouse.

"Oh." Derek looked up at the house then back at her. Without even thinking about it he moved in closer. They just seemed to stare at one another. His hand reached up to touch her cheek. It was almost there when she suddenly moved out of the way.

Casey practically ran up half of the stairs. "Umm…I'll see you around I guess."

Derek sighed and smiled softly at her. "Yeah I guess." With that he turned and started down the street. He was about to turn the corner when he felt a hand in his. He turned to see Casey there.

She smiled. "I just wanted to say thanks for dinner." She leaned up and kissed his cheek and then ran back to her townhouse.

Derek watched her as she closed the door behind her and then noticed that his hand wasn't empty. He smiled down at the 10 dollar bill in his hand.

"Same old Casey." With that he headed home.

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**I hope you enjoyed that. I just thought this way they could get reintroduced to one another and see how things go.**

**I can't wait to hear what you all think so review please. **

**Thank you for all the reviews that you have already made and please keep giving me any suggestions you can think of.**


	15. Dresses and Boy Talk

**I know it's been like a year since I updated but I had the worst case of writers block and a very hectic life but now I'm back and promise not to leave you hanging again. Only a few more chapters left anyway. This one is a little short but wanted to keep a few things out there.**

**I don't own Life with Derek but I did create Carrianne Sam's sister**

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**Casey once again stood in front of the three way mirror in the back of Carrianne's dress shop. She looked at herself this time however and smiled. It felt completely different. She twirled a little holding the end of the knee length dress. Then turned red when she heard Carri's giggle in the background.

Casey turned to look at her. "You did such a good job Carri."

"Thanks sweetie…you really do look good in red. So is Lizzie getting nervous…only a few weeks to go."

"She has turned into super Lizzie…she doesn't really stop for two seconds. I'm just glad she is letting me take some of the stuff off her plate, I remember when I was doing all this and she…" Casey went silent for a minute. "Nevermind."

"It's ok Casey…the past happened and we can't change that. You are one of my best friends in the world and I had hoped my sister-in-law but things didn't work out and we move on. So have you been talking to that brother of mine lately?"

Casey had to smile at Carrianne…after she left Sam basically at the alter after cheating on him with Derek she figured that Carri would never forgive her even after she became friends with Sam again. But Carri surprised her and she was so grateful for that. "Actually he we talked the night before last…he was telling me about the new projects his firm is investing in. He even said that he was put lead on a new government building they are designing for Ottawa. He really sounds happy. I'm so glad." And she really was. Sam was the most amazing guy he just didn't happen to be the guy for her and she really wished some days that that just wasn't true.

"Sweetie come over and sit with me for a minute." Carri pointed to the little sitting area to the side of the platform Casey was currently standing on. As they said she noticed that Carri seemed a little strained. "Listen Casey, Sam asked me to do him a favor. I tried to tell him he was acting like he was in Junior High but he just gave me that sad little boy voice. So here goes…he got the time off for Lizzie's wedding…you probably already know that but what you don't know is that he is bringing a date. He wanted me to tell you so you would be able to prepare and because he's a chicken."

For just the briefest of seconds it felt like all the air was sucked from the room but Casey recovered quickly. "It's Mandy isn't it?"

"How did you know that?"

"We talk at least once a week now and Sam keeps away from anything too personal I think because he finds it a little weird or because he doesn't want me to know that he's slowly moving on but he does tell me stories about his work and no matter how they start she's pretty much always in them and when he talks about her I can almost see him smiling through the phone."

Carri reached out and softly touched Casey's leg. "Are you gonna be ok, Sweetie?"

Tucking the hair behind her ear Casey smiled again. "I'm fine…it's a little weird but I can deal with weird as long as Sam is happy. Just when you meet her make sure she is good for him ok? I don't wanna see him hurt again and I can't really rain in with an opinion on this one…however you as the older sister certainly can."

"Deal." Carri smiled and then got up and got two bottles of water from the mini fridge. "So have you had anymore run ins with Derek?"

At first it had been extremely hard to talk to Carri about anything Derek related or anything guy related after her break up with Sam but Carri sat her down one day and told her that she was her best friend and that meant talking about everything and that meant boys of course. Eventually she had told Carri everything about what happened before the wedding that never happened except the sleeping together…she couldn't chance it slipping to Sam as they were friends again and she had left that part out before. She had also filled her in on most of what had happened since her move to New York.

"I've seen him a few times at the grocery store…nothing exciting…we always stop and chat and stuff…I get butterflies just talking to him I feel like I'm in high school again. One day when I was out walking I ran into him and somehow we ended up going skating. It was so much fun…Derek is amazing on ice but I guess with all that hockey he would have to be."

"Any kissing? Come on get to the good stuff." Carri giggled a little and leaned forward.

"Sorry to disappoint but there has been no kissing."

"None at all?" She frowned.

"Well after the skating he walked me home and just as I was about to go up he tucked this hair behind my ear and I swear he was leaning in and then all of a sudden a car alarm started going off a few houses down and we practically jumped apart. He just laughed and said good night and jogged off. He told me to call him soon and we could hang out some time we planned it so I finally got the courage up to call like a week later but he didn't answer and his machine said he was gone to India and wouldn't be back for a few weeks. Then when I called again in a few weeks it said he was on assignment in Dallas. I decided not to leave a message."

"Wow that sucks…he coming home for the wedding though right?"

"He told Lizzie he would be there after she called him up and swear she would hunt him down otherwise." Casey laughed a little at that thought.

"Is he bringing a date?"

For the second time that afternoon Casey felt like she couldn't breathe…"Oh my god…I so didn't think of that. Why wouldn't he bring a date I mean it's not like there is something going on between us really. We have been living within a few blocks of each other for 6 months now and nothing has happened. Crap if he's bringing a date maybe I should bring a date. On the other hand if he's no bringing a date and I bring a date that mean…"

"Casey stop…you will drive yourself crazy. Just be calm and ask Lizzie someday casually if he told her he was bringing someone…he would have to tell her for the seating chart you know."

"Great idea. I can just stay calm and figure this out."

Carri softly smiled at her best friend. "You really like him don't you?"

"I wish I knew exactly how I felt. I just know that soon enough I'm just gonna have to admit defeat and move on. I bet it will be far less complicated if I did."

"Maybe less complicated but it's obvious that you are attracted to him and if that was all there was it would be easy enough to forget but when just the thought of him dating someone else puts you in panic mood not to mention those butterflies you told me about it becomes obvious that you really like him."

Casey buried her head in her hands…"Man I'm screwed up."

"Nah…no more then the rest of us. Now go change out of that dress so I can alter it. Your still coming to the barbeque at the house later right?"

Casey stood and headed in the direction of the change room. "Definitely…already have my pies made."

"Great just leave the dress outside the door and see you then and stop worrying…it will all work out like it's suppose to."

Casey ran back and hugged her friend. "Thanks Carri. I love you."

"You better. Now get." She smiled and playfully swatted at Casey.

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**So what do you think? Should Derek bring a date and if so should Casey? I would love to hear your thoughts.**


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